Politics has traditionally been conceptualised as a domain governed by rational deliberation, empirical argumentation, and logical decision-making. Emotions were often treated as disruptive forces—irrational, unpredictable, and incompatible with democratic deliberation. Yet both research and practice increasingly show that this assumption is misleading. Far from being peripheral, emotions lie at the very heart of political life. They shape how citizens engage, how communities respond to challenges, and how democratic systems evolve.

Emotions strongly influence political behaviour. Feelings such as fear, anger, hope, pride, or solidarity often drive decisions about voting, protest, or civic participation more powerfully than data or statistics. Political campaigns, social movements, and even government initiatives succeed not only because of the policies they present but also because of the emotions they evoke. Fear and anxiety may be mobilised in times of crisis to restrict freedoms, while hope and solidarity can inspire collective action and resilience. To ignore emotions is, in effect, to ignore one of the most significant drivers of democratic life.

One of the most pressing challenges facing democracies today is affective polarisation—the growing tendency of citizens to view political opponents not merely as people with different opinions but as threats or enemies. This emotional divide fuels distrust, weakens compromise, and undermines the very possibility of democratic dialogue. Yet emotions do not have to destabilise democracy; they can also serve as a resource for renewal. The ENCODE project introduces the concept of affective pluralisation, which recognises the diversity of emotional experiences as a strength. Instead of reducing political debate to a binary of “us versus them,” affective pluralisation embraces emotions as a means of fostering inclusion, empathy, and constructive engagement while maintaining democratic competition.

In today’s interconnected world, the influence of emotions is amplified by digital platforms. Social media algorithms reward highly emotional content, particularly expressions of anger or outrage, making these emotions more visible and contagious. This dynamic has accelerated the spread of disinformation, conspiracy theories, and polarising populist narratives. At the same time, the digital sphere also offers opportunities. It can be a space where positive emotions—empathy, solidarity, and belonging—are cultivated and shared. Understanding how digital communication amplifies emotions is therefore crucial for designing healthier, more democratic online environments.

Recognising the role of emotions in politics is not about manipulation or emotional control. Rather, it is about understanding the emotional needs of citizens and ensuring that democratic institutions respond in ways that foster trust, inclusion, and legitimacy. By building emotionally resonant and inclusive narratives, democracies can counter polarisation, mitigate disinformation, and reconnect with citizens in meaningful ways.

The ENCODE project addresses these challenges directly. By combining theoretical research, biometric studies, and policy innovation, it seeks to deepen our understanding of how emotions influence politics in Europe. Its work includes mapping citizens’ emotional responses to political messages through advanced tools, analysing the role of emotions in the spread of disinformation and populist rhetoric, and exploring how European identities and values can serve as positive emotional anchors. These insights will feed into the development of policy guidelines and communication tools that help institutions engage citizens more effectively. By integrating these contributions, ENCODE aims to enrich both academic debates and practical solutions for strengthening European democracy.

Emotions are not the enemy of democracy—they are its pulse. The challenge is not to remove them from politics but to better understand and channel them in ways that enrich public life. By recognising emotions as central to political discourse, ENCODE offers a path toward more resilient, inclusive, and emotionally intelligent democracies.

This article is prepared for the ENCODE project’s dissemination purposes (2024–2027).