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ABSTRACT
This article focuses on a little-explored area of research, seeking to explain how political changes influence the participation of citizens in the social networks of local governments. In the context of the recent upsurge of anti-system movements and political parties in the European Union, we analyse a new set of data on participation via local governments’ Facebook pages during a turbulent period in European politics. The results obtained show that when a local government is affected by changes in political competition there is a greater degree of citizens’ engagement through social networks. Our analytical framework shows that this increased engagement is directly associated with the vulnerability of political parties, especially when the governing party loses its absolute majority and is constrained or prevented from carrying out political initiatives.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
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Notes on contributors
Juana Alonso-Cañadas
Juana Alonso-Cañadas, Ph. D. in Finance and Accounting, is senior lecturer at the Department of Economics and Business at the University of Almería (Spain). Her research interests are focused on the management system and financial situation in companies. She is author of numerous articles in national and international journals, etc.
Alejandro Sáez-Martín
Alejandro Sáez-Martín is a senior lecturer at the Department of Economics and Business at the University of Almería, Spain. His research focuses on financial information disclosures on the Web (e-government), and on the management systems and financial information of federal and local governments. He has authored book chapters and also numerous articles in national and international journals, including Transforming Government: People, Process and Policy, Local Government Studies, and Communication and Society.
Carmen Caba-Pérez
Carmen Caba-Pérez is a professor in the Public Management Sector at the University of Almería. Her research concerns online the transparency and communication practices of public administrations. She has authored several articles published in publications that include American Review of Public Administration, International Review of Administrative Science, Online Information Review, Government Information Quarterly.