Such criticisms are initially expressed mainly via the internet and then picked up by other media. The fact that these voices can now be heard will certainly have an influence on the elections. A few private parties have taken the initiative to investigate how we can emerge from the crisis through experiments. A task that an active government could have taken on itself some time ago.
Both pro and con voices can be heard extensively via the online media. It seems that the government is guided by the role that the upcoming elections can play and is using corona as a dominant theme. As a result, other important themes remain underexposed . But the opposing voices via social media are only getting louder. With diverting the attention of the voter from the many mistakes in other areas, the cabinet can no longer get away with it due to the online attention for this. Due to all the attention for the pandemic, parties, and therefore also the voters, seem to have little eye for digitalization, which is emerging as a new epidemic that can disrupt society in the coming years.
Can an enhanced online approach to campaigning help parties to push certain themes into the background through fax lists selectivity and possibly even manipulation? Will voters understand this or will their voting behaviour be influenced by it? Do voters still have sufficient interest in other themes or are they indeed only concerned with leaving the corona restrictions behind as quickly as possible? Does this attitude of some government parties fuel conspiracy theorists?
The role of digitalisation in combating the consequences of corona remains underexposed. And with it its influence on society and on the course of the elections.
Against this background, these 'corona elections' could well provide surprises. But will it help digitalization, and thus the prevention of further undermining of society?!
Header image by Kid Circus on Unsplash .