From Groundbreaking to Conciliatory: Analysis of Pablo Iglesias’ Discourse on Twitter during the 2015 and 2019 Electoral Processes

Abstract

The emergence of Pablo Iglesias brought about a revolution in Spain's two-party conception. From the outset, the leader of Podemos has been characterized by his frequent appearances on political talk shows and his intense activity on social networks. Aware of his importance, Iglesias has presented a discourse based on arguments that appeal mainly to citizens' disaffection with their politicians. The success was such that the party won five MEPs in the 2014 European elections after five months of existence. However, the traditional parties (PP and PSOE), also known as "the caste" by Iglesias, have described his discourse as populist and radical to obtain voters among an electorate present in demonstrations and tides. Moreover, their opponents try to link Podemos and Pablo Iglesias with the "undemocratic" governments of Venezuela or Cuba after expressing their approval of some of the policies practiced in those nations. This study analyses the change in Pablo Iglesias' discourse on Twitter through critical discourse analysis between 2015 and 2019, moving from a marked initial populism to a conciliatory approach in the second stage.