Tweeting for legitimacy: exploring soft power in EU leaders’ discourse during the Covid-19 and Russo-Ukrainian crises

Abstract

In the past two decades, the European Union (EU) has confronted numerous crises that have jeopardized the legitimacy of its institutions and its actions, threatening the EU’s domestic and international legitimacy. However, crises also present opportunities for the EU to assert itself by implementing effective policies, fostering cooperation among Member States, and bolstering its legitimacy as a significant actor and crisis manager. Normative ideas aligned with society’s values and interests have emerged as helpful tools for framing and justifying policy choices in a way that can increase public support and the EU’s legitimacy. Such ideas are disseminated through leaders’ discourses, particularly on social media, as part of a soft power strategy aimed at attracting, rather than coercing, both domestic and international audiences. Analyzing leaders’ discourses offers critical insights into the use of soft power within international institutions and its potential to shape perceptions, ultimately strengthening their legitimacy. This paper examines the soft power references to the normative ideas of unity, solidarity, and values incorporated in the Twitter communications of three prominent EU leaders – Ursula Von der Leyen, Charles Michel, and Josep Borrell – during the Covid-19 and Ukrainian crises. The analysis reveals that these leaders delivered a coordinated discourse, using cross-pollinated soft power references during these crises. This approach demonstrates their efforts to turn crises into opportunities that strengthen the EU’s legitimacy and relevance, contributing to a more resilient future. This study contributes to advance academic understanding of the EU’s soft power strategy, legitimation discourse, and crisis management.