Same Symbols, Different Systems: Political Communication and Regime Legitimation in Russia and Hungary

Political symbols are central to the communication strategies of both democratic and authoritarian regimes. While in democracies symbolic language fosters identification between voters and political parties, in authoritarian contexts it serves a more instrumental role in legitimising the regime and consolidating control. This paper explores how similar symbolic repertoires are employed differently in distinct regime types. Drawing on the literature on authoritarian resilience and political communication, we present a comparative analysis of Russia and Hungary: two countries where ruling elites rely heavily on patriotic and conservative symbolism, yet operate under different regime configurations. Using a structured content analysis, we code symbolic expressions initiated by political elites across four domains: media discourse, public demonstrations, civil society initiatives, and legislative acts. Our findings show that while the symbolic language may be shared, the functions and strategic deployment of symbols diverge significantly, shaped by the regime's institutional logic. The paper contributes to both comparative authoritarianism and political communication scholarship by revealing how symbols operate as tools of legitimation across regime types.