Summary: This article analyzes the spread of misinformation by political parties using data from 32 million tweets across 26 countries. It finds that radical-right populist parties are the most likely to spread misinformation, particularly as a strategy against mainstream media and democratic institutions. The study suggests that misinformation should be viewed as a political phenomenon closely tied to the rise of radical right populism.
Using multilevel analysis with random country intercepts, we find that radical-right populism is the strongest determinant for the propensity to spread misinformation. Populism, left-wing populism, and right-wing politics are not linked to the spread of misinformation. These results suggest that political misinformation should be understood as part and parcel of the current wave of radical right populism, and its opposition to liberal democratic institution. (View Highlight)
