Electoral campaigns no longer take place only at rallies or on television screens. The 2025 elections proved that the battle for votes also took place on social media, where voters are informed, comment, and can be influenced.
But, which are the platforms that politicians used the most this campaign?
Ana Kekezi, a marketing expert, told A2 CNN: "Since TikTok was "banned", meaning it was closed for 1 year by the government, we are left with only Facebook and Instagram. Although we also have YouTube as an option. Facebook dominates. When I say Facebook dominates, I'm talking here about all age groups."
And in the fight for online attention, it seems that the means often justify the ends. From remote debates, viral videos, memes, this election campaign seemed to have a little bit of everything that online platforms can provide.
"For those videos that have gone viral on purpose, that is, they are well-thought-out, they simply demand attention. People love this more, but not only people, but also algorithms. Algorithms generally give priority to videos or reels or posts with emotion, with a difference and those that from the first moments receive a great commitment such as likes, shares or comments. What is noticeable is that since we have many memes, negative videos, viral videos, it seems like we have a distraction from the lack of programming. It seems to me like they want the voter or citizen to remain uninformed. It seems to me a goal in itself", explains Kekezi.
But do the numbers of clicks, shares, or likes translate into votes?
"Posts encourage me to go vote. So, that happens. But, they don't change my vote. It's not social media posts or clicks that change my vote, because it's very difficult to change someone's vote in the last month, but they do encourage me to go vote.
Just like traditional campaigns, online campaigns also have expenses that are monitored," said Ervin Koçi, a journalist for A2 CNN.
The online campaign, in terms of expenses, is monitored by the Central Election Commission, because it coincides with the expenses of political parties in the elections, which have a certain ceiling on how far this expense of political parties can go in the parliamentary elections. As such, the expense or sponsorship of certain materials on social networks is part of the monitoring of the Central Election Commission, based on the law on political parties, based on the amendments made to the Electoral Code.
But this monitoring seems to be lacking if we talk about the content aspect.
"It is more a matter of monitoring by the Audiovisual Media Authority, which for the sake of truth, so far, monitors materials that are broadcast only on television, not materials that are published on social networks. In the ethical aspect, since we have heard many words that do not fit the ethical and political language in the country, it is more in the will of the political parties. Even the Central Election Commission, the Chief Commissioner Ilirjan Celibashi himself, whenever he has been asked about this issue, has stated that his duty can only be advisory, since both the legal and legislative aspects of organizing electoral processes do not provide for the competence of the Central Election Commission to impose administrative measures or sanctions against persons who use offensive, hateful or sexist language in electoral campaigns. Something that we do not have and the state of Kosovo does have. It may be part of future changes to the Electoral Code, but, as I mentioned, it is part of the future "Because what happened so far, in this electoral process, we have seen that it was not among the best," said Koçi.
While technology changes the way campaigns are run, the challenge remains the same: to gain attention, build trust and ultimately get the vote. As for how far political parties have come this time, pedagogy tells us the grades according to her: “So, they are all really good but, obviously, for me, every party and every candidate would get an A+ in the way they campaign or how they apply digital marketing and would get a D+ or maybe a C in how we lack real politics.” (A2 Televizion)
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