Editorial: The role of political influencers in electoral campaigns: The role of political influencers in electoral campaigns

The rapid transformation of political communication in the digital age has elevated political influencers from peripheral actors to central agents in electoral campaigns. As social media platforms have reshaped the architecture of the public sphere, they have also transformed how citizens encounter political information, form attitudes, and engage in political participation. Political influencers—social media actors ranging from dedicated political content creators to lifestyle influencers who occasionally engage in political discourse—operate at the intersection of personalization, authenticity, and algorithmic amplification. This positioning enables them to bridge institutional politics and everyday digital culture, particularly among younger and otherwise disengaged audiences.