Emotive Rhetoric in Policy Communication: Exploring Protection and Emotional Appeals in Parliamentary Work During the Covid-19 Pandemic

In political science research, emotions have become increasingly acknowledged as crucial forces in the political realm. However, recent work in this field largely focuses on emotions in populist rhetoric and political communication in electoral contexts, with little being known about the role of emotions in parliamentary work. Using the policy of mandatory vaccination for health care staff during the Covid-19 pandemic, this study examines the use of emotions in political communication on specific policies aimed at providing protection. Considering different sources, i.e., newspaper articles, social media posts, parliamentary debates and press releases, I compare data from France and Germany in regard to how emotions are elicited to justify the adoption of a protective policy. Given the various insecurities of our times, special attention is thereby paid to the link between emotive rhetoric and the notion of protection as being granted to whom and from what. Insights from this study are crucial for a better understanding of political agenda-setting and public policymaking as they address the extant gap in academic literature on the role of emotions in policy-related communication in a world of multiple insecurities and polycrises.