Influencers in the dana: digital populism and new catalysts for political discourse in times of crisis

Abstract

In relation to the Cold drop that affected the province of Valencia on October 29, 2024, this study examines how influential Spanish influencers activated populist narratives on social media and acted as catalysts for political discourse in a crisis context. A corpus of 13 videos published between October 30, 2024, and February 28, 2025, on TikTok and YouTube, featuring Peldanyos, Roro Bueno, El Xokas, and Ángel Gaitán, is analysed. The profiles were selected for their high popularity, for participating in actions related to the emergency, and for incorporating assessments of public management. The research adopts critical discourse analysis and a coding sheet with content and style variables: representations of the people/elite/outgroups, types of populism, apolitical or anti-political attitudes, institutional and media distrust, attribution of responsibility, emotional rhetoric, and staging. The results show a predominance of anti-elite populism: the “people” appear as homogeneous, virtuous, and de-ideologized, as opposed to a political “elite” described as ineffective or self-serving. Outgroups linked to immigration or stereotypes of progressivism emerge on occasion. Criticism is often directed at the state and central government, and the display of aid reinforces the moral authority of the transmitter. It is concluded that the crisis accelerates communication styles that consolidate influencers as intermediaries capable of reshaping, through emotionality and simplification, the public interpretation of democratic responsibility and legitimacy.