(Zagreb) She has hundreds of thousands of views for each video, a multitude of subscribers, and hopes that all this will send her to the European Parliament: passionate about fashion and European institutions, Nina Skocak, 26, is one of the new faces of Croatian politics.
This application “is a test to see if it’s possible. No one has ever done it,” she explains.
With a degree in journalism and political science, the young woman who specialized in European politics began her career in Brussels in 2022, as an intern at the European Parliament. At 26, she now works for the Horizon Europe research program.
And to hundreds of thousands of followers on social media, where she posts videos, quizzes and interviews – all dressed up like a 1940s magazine.
It was on TikTok that she announced her candidacy – and it was thanks to her subscribers that she managed to gather the 5,000 signatures necessary to create her list: “The Gen Z list”.
Only composed of candidates aged 19 to 30, its program focuses on youth participation in politics, online safety, sustainable development and women’s rights.
Determined to show that young people, especially young women, have their place in politics, the list wants to prevent the shift to the far right in Croatian politics. In particular by advocating lowering the legal voting age to 16 and implementing youth quotas in the lists.
“We didn’t campaign in the traditional way with stands and so on. », explains Nina Skocak. “Instead, we went to cafes and bars to collect signatures. People came for a drink, and we left with a signature.”
In total, 8,500 people signed – a success. She left the signatures – fuchsia beret, pencil skirt and heeled overalls – in pink boxes. The photo on Instagram alone garnered more than 10,000 likes.
“Young people today prefer that to more traditional partisan structures,” thinks the candidate. “So we have to imagine new platforms, new ways of mobilizing them.”
For her campaign, the young woman mainly used TikTok to address her more than 200,000 subscribers, regularly offering them quizzes. You can also come across her distributing leaflets at flea markets, or getting into debates in bars. Wherever the young people are.
Such initiatives “exist elsewhere”, recalls Marijana Grbeša, professor of Political Science at the University of Zagreb. “And they will multiply, because what we hear the most from young people is: “We don’t want you to talk about us, we want you to talk to us”. »
“The impression that young people are not interested in politics is only partly true,” adds one. “They are not interested in the politics that current politicians talk to them about.”
Election fatigue
For Nina Skocak, it’s not just about campaigning, it’s also about educating. With her videos, she tries to explain the European electoral process, and wants to offer her subscribers the tools to understand the institutions.
With each publication, thousands of likes and comments, thanking her for her content. Some swear that, thanks to her, they will vote.
“Nina Skocak speaks the language of young people. It’s a huge advantage,” emphasizes M.me Grbeša. “He is a person who is good at communication, and who tries to mobilize young people. It will be very interesting to see how far she can reach people” through her networks, “and to see what impact that will have.”
Nothing obvious: young Croatians are among the least educated Europeans about European institutions –– 71% of them say they know nothing or very little about it – compared to 55% in the rest of the EU, according to the Eurobarometer 2021 published by the European Parliament.
However, it interests them, Nina Skocak is convinced of it. But Croatian youth are tired of old-fashioned politics.
“Young people bring different points of view, and that is lacking” in Parliament, argues the young candidate.
Croatians, who are participating in their fourth European elections since the country joined the EU in 2013, will elect their 12 MEPs on Sunday.
But after legislative elections in April, and a few weeks before a presidential election, electoral fatigue looms. “Maybe only 100 people will come and vote. Or maybe 100,000,” admits Nina Skocak. However, she is convinced that with social networks, a spark can be enough to mobilize crowds.