Last spring, the European Parliament (EP) jumped into the social media sphere to help promote their elections in June. Just six months ago, the EP didn’t even have a Facebook page. Now they are tweeting in 22 languages and have a presence on every major social network. Unfortunately, they may have started a little too late to have a real effect on voter turn-out. The previous election garnered a 45 percent turnout, this one was 43 percent. But in the long run, their social media presence will probably be effective at reaching a wider audience. Many Europeans login to their preferred social media platform everyday, but few regularly check the EP’s website for news. By intertwining citizens daily activities with those of the EP, they can keep people interested and up to date on the latest developments. This recent push was inspired by successful uses of social media by President Barack Obama, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and the Vatican. Politicking relies heavily on reaching large amounts of people, and social media platforms could soon become essential elements of all elections.

The full story at Agoravox:
http://www.agoravox.com/article.php3?id_article=10498