ARGENTINE POLITICAL LEADERS ON TWITTER. A STUDY ABOUT THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS IN 2017

The use of Online Social Networks (OSNs) in electoral campaigns is no longer an option for candidates and their campaign teams. Their performance in the virtual public sphere will mark substantial differences at the time of vote. Indeed, although the presence of politicians in social media does not guarantee their victory in elections, it is unthinkable to build their public profile outside of them. The present study intends to analyze the use of Twitter by the main female Argentinian political leaders during the campaign of the mid-term legislative elections in Argentina in 2017. Specifically, it is intended to investigate which were the topics promoted by these leaders in the public virtual sphere and what kind of dialogues they established with citizens and between them. Likewise, based on their interaction in social networks, an attempt will be made to identify which leadership characteristics these candidates possess. Finally, the aim is to analyze the influence of the gender variable on its narratives. Results show that the conversations focused on campaign slogans, they included information linked to the local dimension and did not abound on gender-related issues. In a context where issues related to women became relevant in the political, media and public agendas, this work aims to go beyond the political use of Twitter to identify particular features of the construction of female leadership in social networks.