DIGITAL DIPLOMATIC EVOLUTION AND TRANSFORMATION DURING TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY: DIGITAL FOREIGN POLICY – EUROPEAN UNION CASE

Abstract

This study focuses on the digital transformation in the European Union public diplomacy and the digital shift towards digital diplomacy. soft power is an important characteristic through which we can classify states and other powerful organizations and diplomacy represent the most common soft power image of any entity. Communicating clearly and honestly with the public, especially the foreign public, assists in projecting the best-perceived image. Therefore, the European Union started implementing digital tools like social media platforms to inform about its political actions and the application of its foreign policy. We conclude that the transformation that happened within the European Union institution was very positive and led to the attraction of many individuals interested in subjects related to the European Union. The change did not happen only on the institutional side but also on the individual side. We observe the transformation in the strategic communication of EU spokespeople, leaning more toward casual messaging and creating more connections with their audience. This step was very important for the European Union since the web is a chaotic arena, where not everything is controlled. Access to fast, correct, and accurate information is crucial in the fight against disinformation. In this work, we aimed to advance the vital key points of the digital transformation of European Union public diplomacy and the role of its institution in this change, along with the changes in the discursive strategies of some EU spokespeople both internally and externally within the social media platform Twitter.