Digital Political Parties and Candidates Under Scrutiny in the Digital Realm

Digital Political Parties and Candidates Under Scrutiny in the Digital Realm

German Political Parties Adapt to Digital Advertising Ban Ahead of Federal Election

As the federal election in Germany approaches, political parties and chancellor candidates are adapting to new EU regulations that ban paid political advertising on major digital platforms like Google Ads, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram.

Key Differences and Impacts

Google and YouTube have announced that they will cease accepting political, electoral, and social issue advertisements within the EU by October 2025. This means that parties can no longer use these platforms for paid political campaigns, limiting their ability to amplify their messages through targeted ads. Meta Platforms (Facebook and Instagram) have also announced they will halt all political advertising on their platforms in the EU from October 2025.

TikTok is also affected by the new regulations, but there is an additional development reported in August 2025 where staff at Germany’s chancellery and federal ministries are restricted in their use of TikTok and other social media platforms.

Consequences and Usage Patterns

Due to these bans, German political parties and chancellor candidates must rely more on organic social media presence, influencer collaborations, and alternative platforms like Twitter/X for political communication. Some parties, particularly the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), have exhibited strong engagement on platforms like Twitter/X, capitalizing on viral effects and direct interaction rather than paid advertising.

The AfD's success partly comes from leveraging the platform’s network effects and the attention of high-profile figures like Elon Musk. The Greens, on the other hand, focus on emotional content on YouTube, while the SPD has a strong presence on both their faction and party accounts on Instagram.

The CDU has a significant presence on both their Union faction and party accounts on Instagram, with the SPD having the highest Google visibility index of 2.52. Weidel leads the YouTube ranking with 279,000 subscribers, followed by Scholz, and Habeck reaches fewer followers but almost the same number of video views.

On TikTok, the SPD achieves more impressions with only 41,000 followers, while the Greens have the most Instagram followers (317,000) and reactions (2.2 million), followed by the AfD (281,000 followers and 1.3 million reactions).

In follower growth, the SPD leads with a 263% increase, followed by the Greens (119%) and the CDU (115%). The AfD grows the slowest at 10%.

The AfD's Digital Strategy

The AfD generates clicks for its website primarily through current news on the topic of migration. Weidel also achieves the highest values on TikTok (776,000 followers and 47.8 million impressions), followed by Scholz (433,000 followers and 25 million impressions). Merz is represented with two accounts but achieves only low reach on YouTube (12,000 and 10 followers, 383,000 and 2,800 views). Scholz is hardly active on YouTube - his last upload is six years ago.

Conclusion

The regulatory environment has created a digital advertising landscape where paid political ads on these major platforms are being phased out, pushing German political actors to adjust their campaign strategies towards organic social media engagement or other means outside these platforms' paid ads. The principal difference in use among German parties and chancellor candidates is a forced cessation of paid digital political ads on these major platforms, leading to increased reliance on non-paid content distribution and strategic use of remaining channels like Twitter/X for visibility and voter engagement.

1. As the election campaign progresses in Germany, the adoption of digital advertising strategies becomes crucial for political parties and chancellor candidates.
2. With the EU regulations prohibiting paid political advertising on digital platforms like Google Ads, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, parties are faced with limited amplification of their political messages.
3. Google and YouTube have decided to cease accepting political ads within the EU by October 2025, curtailing parties' paid campaign options.
4. Meta Platforms (Facebook and Instagram) will also cease political ads on their platforms in the EU from October 2025.
5. TikTok is caught in the crossfire as well, with added restrictions for Germany’s chancellery and federal ministries staff.
6. In light of these bans, organic social media presence, influencer collaborations, and alternative platforms like Twitter/X become crucial for political communication.
7. The right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) has shown significant engagement on platforms like Twitter/X, leveraging viral content and direct interaction.
8. The Greens prioritize emotional content on YouTube, while the SPD has a strong presence on both their faction and party accounts on Instagram.
9. The CDU has a notable presence on their Union faction and party accounts on Instagram, with the SPD having the highest Google visibility index of 2.52.
10. Weidel ranks first in the YouTube ranking with 279,000 subscribers, followed by Scholz, and Habeck attracts nearly the same number of video views despite fewer followers.
11. On TikTok, the SPD achieves more impressions with only 41,000 followers, while the Greens have the most Instagram followers (317,000) and reactions (2.2 million).
12. In follower growth, the SPD leads with a 263% increase, followed by the Greens (119%) and the CDU (115%), while the AfD grows the slowest at 10%.
13. The AfD primarily attracts clicks to their website through current news on migration.
14. Weidel achieves the highest values on TikTok with 776,000 followers and 47.8 million impressions, followed by Scholz with 433,000 followers and 25 million impressions.
15. Merz's presence on YouTube is minimal with two accounts, achieving low reach.
16. Scholz is hardly active on YouTube, with his last upload six years ago.
17. The regulatory landscape, characterized by the decline in paid political ads, compels German political actors to adapt towards organic social media engagement and other non-paid content distribution methods.
18. The AfD's digital strategy is partially driven by migration-related news, resulting in increased website clicks.
19. In the realm of goal setting, German parties must advance creative tactics for voter engagement beyond paid ads.
20. The phased-out paid digital political ads on these major platforms necessitate a shift in focus to responsible gambling, skills training, and responsible use of alternative platforms.
21. In an era of evolving casino-culture, political parties and chancellor candidates must be aware of the increasing trends in gambling and associated legislative policies.
22. The new digital landscape requires a balance of deep connections with voters and a comprehensive understanding of policy and legislation, both in politics and job-search.
23. Personal growth and self-development through education, mindfulness, and productivity become essential for candidates in navigating the complex digital terrain.
24. The increased reliance on social media presents an opportunity for candidates to create engaging content for entertainment, like sports, movies, and pop-culture.
25. Topics such as football, the Champions League, the NFL, soccer, WNBA, baseball, hockey, golf, European leagues, basketball, NCAABasketball, MLB, NHL, racing, premier league, American football, NBA, Masters, Serie A, Laliga, NCAA football, tennis can serve as conversation starters.
26. Sci-fi and fantasy, general news, and books can be utilized to cater to a wide audience segment, engaging voters through shared interests and experiences.
27. Casinos and gambling, a common thread in pop-culture and entertainment, can provide intriguing perspectives on life and decision-making, emphasizing the importance of responsible gambling.
28. As the digital landscape evolves, so too does the culture surrounding gambling, casino personalities, and casino games, such as casino-games, blackjack, big-wins, slots, lotteries, and roulette.
29. Understanding the historical context and myths of Las Vegas, gambling trends, and the Vegas history provides valuable insights for political campaigning and navigating the digital advertising landscape in an era of regulatory changes.

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