Politik Influencer dalam Pemilu 2024 dan Dilema Keterwakilan Politik Generasi Digital

The 2024 Indonesian General Election marked a significant transformation in political campaigning, characterized by the extensive use of digital media and social media platforms. Among the most notable developments was the growing involvement of influencers in political campaigns, particularly in reaching younger voters who dominate Indonesia’s electoral demographic. This study aims to analyze the role of influencers in digital political campaigns during the 2024 Election and examine their implications for political participation and political representation. This research employs a qualitative approach using a literature review method. Data were collected from academic books, journal articles, official reports, and relevant studies concerning political communication, digital campaigns, opinion leaders, political participation, and political representation. The analysis is conducted through a descriptive-qualitative framework supported by the theories of political campaigns, digital political communication, the Two-Step Flow of Communication, political participation, and political representation. The findings indicate that influencers have emerged as modern opinion leaders who play a significant role in increasing political exposure and encouraging political participation among young voters. Through creative and accessible content, influencers successfully bridge the gap between formal politics and digitally connected generations. However, the study also finds that the increasing reliance on influencers may contribute to a form of superficial political participation, where political preferences are shaped more by popularity and emotional attachment than by substantive evaluation of political programs and candidates. This study argues that the use of influencers in digital political campaigns presents a dilemma between expanding political participation and maintaining the quality of political representation. Therefore, strengthening political literacy, digital literacy, and transparency in political endorsements is essential to ensure that digital democracy contributes not only to broader participation but also to more substantive political representation.