«Sometimes the Crisis Makes the Leader»?A Comparison of Giuseppe Conte Digital Communication Before and During the Covid-19 Pandemic

This article presents a comparison of the pre and during Covid-19 digital communication on Facebook of the former Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. By providing both a quantitative and qualitative overview, it aims to assess Giuseppe Conte’s political leadership during his two years spent in the office (2018-2021) and to investigate how he exploited digital platforms to spread his messages and then in handling the health emergency. Firstly, it presents how the Covid-19 outbreak led to a metamorphosis of Conte’s political leadership. Secondly, it provides an analysis of the activity of Conte on Facebook, as well as of the characteristics of the messages shared on such platform. In doing so, it observes how the sensitive policies enacted and disseminated by Conte via social media led to higher engagement levels and a growth of his fanbase, thus creating a symbiotic relationship with citizens and achieving great legitimation. Thirdly, the research explores how digital platforms entered the fabric of the administration, with Conte’s political decisions carried out bypassing official procedures through instant communication tools. In the end, it discusses that the pandemic strengthened the political leadership of Giuseppe Conte and explores complementary reasons that gave him a new centrality in the Italian political scene