The presence on Facebook & Instagram of deputy ministers & undersecretaries

On October 31, the government chaired by Giorgia Meloni appointed 8 deputy ministers 31 and undersecretaries. After analyzing the presence on Facebook and Instagram of the 24 new ministers, and that of the two Presidents of the Chamber and Senate, we analyzed the presence on two of the social platforms with the largest number of users in Italy, and in the world, of the 39 members of the Government since their appointment yesterday 13 November. Of 39 deputy ministers and undersecretaries, 3 do not have their own presence on Facebook and another 3 have only their own personal profile but not a Facebook page or a verified profile.

Among the remaining 33 who have their own fanpage on Facebook, the cover photo by Augusta Montaruli is striking. Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of University and Research, of the Brothers of Italy. Image uploaded on February 23 of this year which seems to us decidedly not suitable for those holding an institutional position. Among the 33 Vittorio Sgarbi is clearly the one with the greatest number of followers. Just under 2.4 million. None of the deputy ministers or undersecretaries have seen a significant increase in followers since the day of appointment.

The Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of the Interior, Wanda Ferro, of the Brothers of Italy, is the subject who poses the most. In the period under review, on average, 4.31 posts per day. The Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Culture, the Northern League’s Lucia Borgonzoni, the one who posts the least of all. On average 0.08 post / day, which is less than one post every ten days.

Being Sgarbi, as we have seen, by far the subject with the greatest number of followers, he is inevitably also the one who generates the greatest number of interactions (like + reaction + comments and shares). However, compared to an average engagement rate of 5,287%, Sgarbi stands at 0.153%. One of the lowest among the 33.

The Deputy Minister for Ecological Transition, the Northern League’s Vannia Gava, is instead the one who generates the highest rate of involvement. As much as 10.74%. About double the average. But the absolute values ​​of the number of followers and interactions are really scarce.

The infographic below provides details for each of the 33 subjects on Facebook.

On Instagram, on the other hand, there are 6 people who do not have an account, to which is added Maria Tripodi, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and the private account, “padlocked”.

It is striking that one of those who do not have an Instagram account is precisely the Undersecretary of State to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers with responsibility for Innovation, Alessio Butti, of Fratelli d’Italia. If already, not without controversy, the new government seems to have downsized what was previously an area manned by a minister, Pisano first and then Colao, the absence of the new undersecretary from Instagram leaves us further perplexed, let’s say.

In any case, there are therefore 31 in total those who are present on the social photo and video platform.

Also in this case it is Vittorio Sgarbi who has the greatest number of followers. But we are at values ​​of about a quarter compared to Facebook. As in the case of Facebook, none of the 31 deputy ministers and undersecretaries on Instagram recorded a significant increase in followers since the appointment on 31 October onwards.

Overall, the publication frequency is much more spaced than on Facebook. Five have not yet published anything since the day of their appointment. Among those who have posted something, the highest frequency of publication is for the Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Defense, daughter of the former secretary of the Italian Social Movement Pino Rauti, as well as the ex-wife of the former mayor of Rome Gianni Alemanno, Isabella Rauti.

As on Facebook, also on Instagram the lowest frequency of publication is always by Lucia Borgonzoni, but also the Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Sandra Savino, has the same, very scarce, frequency.

In general, few posts, few followers and therefore few interactions. Interactions which, moreover, as we know, on Instagram are limited to likes and comments.

At the top with about 63 thousand interactions in 14 days always Sgarbi. Even in this case, however, the involvement generated is scarce which stands at an engagement rate of 2,109% against a general average of 5,361%. It is surprising that a critic and art historian does not adequately exploit a visual platform.

If we exclude Sandra Savino, who in addition to posting very little has a handful of followers, the highest engagement rate is generated by the Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Galeazzo Bignami, at 10,134%. Double the average.

Also in the case of Instagram, the infographic below provides the details for each of the 31 active subjects on the social photo and video platform.