ABSTRACT
The proliferation of social media has created new opportunities for democratic politics, with research focusing on how political leaders use these platforms for communication and campaigns. However, little attention has been given to new actors shaping digital information operations. This chapter examines Pakistan’s two largest political parties, analyzing their use of official and unofficial Twitter channels during the 2024 general election. Using a coalitional framework, it explores how political leaders engage with both formal and informal networks, and the extent of their coordination. Analyzing 195,736 tweets from January 10 to February 10, 2024, the study finds that political leaders are no longer the primary sources of electoral information. Instead, non-electoral actors are increasingly driving online campaigns and contributing to party communication. These findings highlight the need for further research on the role of new actors, who may or may not be official party members, in shaping digital political discourse.
