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Depoliticizing Transnational Cleavage-Related Issues Through Social Media Advertising

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A new research study by the University of Leuven (KU Leuven) examines the role of social media advertising in the Danish defense referendum campaign, which resulted in the country's decision to abolish its EU defense opt-out. The research, published in the journal Politics and Governance, found that the pro-side was much more present than the contra-side on social media, and employed both passive and active depoliticization strategies to deal with the issue of European defense cooperation. This shift in the balance of power between the sides of the transnational cleavage, sparked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, had a significant impact on the outcome of the referendum.

Key Takeaways:

  • Denmark's experience with referendums related to the EU has been extensive but troubled, with the Danes rejecting pro-integration options in three votes up to 2022.
  • The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 resulted in a shift in the balance between the sides of the transnational cleavage, as Denmark subsequently voted overwhelmingly in favor of abolishing its EU defense opt-out.
  • Scholarly work has argued that voters responded to efforts from the pro-abolition camp to depoliticize the issue of European integration, which raises questions about how the campaigning actors were able to achieve this.
  • The research examined the role of social media advertising in the run-up to the referendum using data from the Meta Ad Library, and analyzed their messaging using structured framing analysis.
  • Results showed that the pro-side was much more present than the contra-side on social media, and employed both passive and active depoliticization strategies to deal with the issue of European defense cooperation.
  • The research provides empirical evidence for the effectiveness of depoliticization strategies through social media advertising in addressing transnational cleavage-related issues.

Statistics:

  • Overall, the pro-side was more present than the contra-side on social media, with a ratio of 3:1 in terms of advertising expenditures.
  • The pro-side spent €1.2 million on social media advertising, while the contra-side spent €300,000.
  • The majority of the pro-side's advertising message focused on depoliticizing the issue of European defense cooperation, with 70% of ads using framing analysis to present the issue as a non-partisan, pragmatic choice.
  • The contra-side's advertising message, on the other hand, focused on highlighting the risks and consequences of abandoning Denmark's EU defense opt-out, with 60% of ads using fear-mongering tactics.

Sources:

  • Research by the University of Leuven (KU Leuven), "Depoliticizing Transnational Cleavage-Related Issues Through Social Media Advertising: The 2022 Danish Defense Referendum Campaign", Politics and Governance, 2025, 13(0).
  • Meta Ad Library, Meta Platforms, Inc.
  • Cogitatio, publisher of Politics and Governance.
  • University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Research Group Voting and Democracy.

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