From likes to votes: a cross-border analysis of Facebook campaigning in Albania and Kosovo’s 2021 elections

This study explores online political campaigning during the 2021 national elections in Albania and Kosovo, emphasizing the role of Facebook as a primary campaigning platform amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. Rooted in the concept of issue ownership within political communication in the Western Balkan context, the research explores the main themes and tactics political parties use to secure the electorate’s votes. Employing DigiWorld’s manual coding of 2,056 Facebook posts over four weeks, our findings highlight significant disparities in engagement levels on key issues like health and economy, underlining the nuanced interplay between digital issue ownership and voter engagement. The content analysis research uncovered a surprising pattern: government parties showed higher engagement levels in Covid-19-related discussions, contrary to our expectations. However, opposition parties led interactions on all topics. Notably, posts on the economy, rural issues, employment, and infrastructure elicited stronger public engagement, emphasizing their significance in the digital political landscape.