Targets and Resources: Determinants of Party-Based Online Campaign Strategies in the Case of the 2021 Parliamentary Elections in Bulgaria

Political parties in Central and Eastern Europe have become increasingly reliant on online tools to mobilize electoral support, a trend that seemed to have been further catalyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This article seeks to understand what factors determine the approaches parties took toward their online campaign. By looking into the online approaches of eight parliamentary-represented political parties in Bulgaria from the three parliamentary elections in 2021, the analysis shows that the type of online campaigns of parties depends, to a large extent, on the way parties use their resources, as well as their target audience. The basis for this conclusion is a qualitative analysis of media reports from the campaigns of the three elections. This finding suggests the need for a closer investigation on the interplay between party organization, use of online tools, and campaign appeals.