A large amount of ‘black PR’ during the election campaign would be advantageous to the government by reducing voter turnout at the parliamentary elections, Director of the International Institute for Democracy and Head of the Sotsiovymir Center for Sociological and Political Studies Serhiy Taran has said.
“The dominance of black, false or doubtful information about deputies is strategically working for the government, as it will reduce voter turnout. This means that most citizens, due to their absence, will vote for the status quo, for the current situation in Ukraine,” he said at a press conference in Kyiv on Monday.
Taran said that when inaccurate information about candidates dominates in the country, so-called “black PR,” it is beneficial for the government, as it discourages voters, which in turn reduces voter turnout during elections.
Director of the Berta Communications Strategic Consulting Company Taras Berezovets, in turn, said: “Any government in any country wants voter turnout no to be high, because if it is high, more people who are not satisfied with something will vote.”
He said that there would be less “black PR” during the election campaign with respect to candidates who run on party lists.
“There will be innovations in black technologies, they will work, and they will be effective. But at the level of parties there will be less black information than in single-member districts,” he said.
Parliamentary elections in Ukraine scheduled for October 28.
