2053168020915332.pdf

The 2019 European Parliament election campaigns continued with the Spitzenkandidaten procedure, introducing lead candidates for the European Commission presidency to raise awareness and interest among European citizens. Research on the personalization of EU politics showed that few voters were aware of the candidates in the 2014 elections. This article examines recognition of the pan-European Spitzenkandidaten, focusing on the role of voters' news exposure in various media and arguing that news exposure is crucial for candidate recognition, but its effect is contingent upon the domestic campaign context. The study uses novel survey data from 10 European countries and finds that news exposure is particularly relevant in domestic contexts where Spitzenkandidaten were not previously present. The results have implications for understanding EP election campaigns and the personalization of EU politics.