Abstract
This study uses empirical evidence to analyze the use of negative, neutral, and positive discourses by the leaders of the Portuguese political parties with parliamentary representation in their personal X profiles. The research questions address how leaders compare in the use of negative and positive discourses, considering their political positioning, what topics are most associated with negative and positive discourses, and how negative and positive discourses generate engagement. An exploratory quantitative methods approach is used. Results show that the populist far-right leader is the champion of the negative discourse; that, in general, the opposition leaders resort more to negative discourse; that topics such as corruption, immigration, and security, as well as topics associated with the radicalization of discourse towards political opponents are more prone to negative discourse; and that negative discourse tends to generate more engagement than positive and neutral discourses, which, however, is not true for all leaders.
Recommended Citation
Paiva Dias, Gonçalo, "Discursive Sentiment of Portuguese Political Leaders on X: An Empirical Study" (2025). CAPSI 2025 Proceedings. 27.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/capsi2025/27