The electoral campaign as a ritual of access to power

Abstract

Election campaigns are the previous step for politicians to access institutional power.  The numerous events of different kinds held fifteen days prior to voting seek to present the future ruler´s values, manners and skills. Their design is not only meant to present a program, most of the times briefly reviewed before the voters, but to create an enabling environment for sending out a message of power: he is the leader, he has the power and exercises it.

The complexity of these acts, which requires a previous teamwork of different specialists like image consultants, set designers and protocol technicians are the main tool to stir up the excitement leading voters to cast ballots in polling stations. In the development of these events, the protocol plays a key role.

We´ll discuss a few examples of different events, their production and development, as well as all agents involved in them, from the very first idea to the launch of the event.