VOTERS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE IDENTITY OF CANDIDATES IN THE ROMANIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS OF DECEMBER 2024 - ELENA LASCONI VS CĂLIN GEORGESCU
VOTERS' PERCEPTIONS OF THE IDENTITY OF CANDIDATES IN THE ROMANIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS OF DECEMBER 2024 - ELENA LASCONI VS CĂLIN GEORGESCU

Summary/Abstract: In the context of the PSD-PNL alliance collapse, as evidenced by the loss of about 40% of the votes obtained in the Euro parliamentary elections, this research aims to analyse not only the symbolic and semiotic impact of the qualified candidates in the second round of the 2024 Romanian presidential elections, but also the cultural and ideological springs that made their rise possible. Recent statistical data show that the sovereigntist bloc experienced a significant expansion in almost all administrative-territorial units (ATUs), and Călin Georgescu became the main beneficiary of this wave of protest vote, accumulating 55% of the total votes given to sovereigntist candidates in the first round. Starting from this unexpected electoral dynamic, the present research explored the main symbolic, communicative and cultural elements through which candidates Elena Lasconi and Călin Georgescu managed to position themselves and convey their messages in an effective and pragmatic manner. The empirical approach was based on five focus groups, during which the participants - young people aged between 18 and 30 - were presented with images from the pre-campaign and electoral campaign of the two candidates. The participants assessed the strengths and weaknesses, as well as the semiotic elements perceived as relevant in shaping the visual and symbolic identity of each political actor. The results of the focus groups indicate an initially hostile perception towards Călin Georgescu, in the sense of a rejection or fear of the unknown, which, however, transformed during the discussions into a more nuanced evaluation, with the participants describing him as an archetype of the ideal president, characterized by authenticity, symbolic coherence and detachment from the establishment. This perception is consonant with the statistical data in the aforementioned report, which show that Georgescu's score increased significantly in areas with a high presence of young voters and in the ATUs where AUR and PSD-PNL lost considerable percentages. In contrast, the main symbolic vulnerability identified in the case of Elena Lasconi was the perception of a "falseness" generated by the excessive use of religious and national-identity elements, interpreted by participants as artificial affective strategies. Thus, the qualitative findings intersect significantly with the quantitative analysis, suggesting that the understanding of electoral symbols cannot be separated from a broader ideological reconfiguration of the Romanian electorate, in search of new forms of political authenticity and representation.

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