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Connect and win: The role of social networks in political elections

Arda Halu1, Kun Zhao1, Andrea Baronchelli1,2 and Ginestra Bianconi3

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Letter

Many real systems are made of strongly interacting networks, with profound consequences on their dynamics. Here, we consider the case of two interacting social networks and, in the context of a simple model, we address the case of political elections. Each network represents a competing party and every agent, on the election day, can choose to be either active in one of the two networks (vote for the corresponding party) or to be inactive in both (not vote). The opinion dynamics during the election campaign is described through a simulated annealing algorithm. We find that for a large region of the parameter space the result of the competition between the two parties allows for the existence of pluralism in the society, where both parties have a finite share of the votes. The central result is that a densely connected social network is key for the final victory of a party. However, small committed minorities can play a crucial role, and even reverse the election outcome.


PACS

64.60.Cn Order–disorder transformations

89.75.Hc Networks and genealogical trees

64.60.aq Networks

Subjects

Condensed matter: structural, mechanical & thermal

Statistical physics and nonlinear systems

Dates

Issue 1 (April 2013)

Received 31 January 2013, accepted for publication 14 March 2013

Published 12 April 2013

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