Countering frames: how Warsaw and Budapest mayors communicated their international activity

Abstrakt

This paper examines the Mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony and Mayor of Warsaw Rafał Trzaskowski social media communication related to their international activity in the context of government-linked media bias. The paper’s research verifies the use of communication frames that prompt a given, desired interpretation and justification of mayors’ transborder engagement.
By exploring its communication aspect, the paper adds to a better understanding of local governments’ international activity. It also adds to the debate on the role of cities in drawing international public attention towards problems with the rule of law and the quality of democracy in Poland and Hungary.