Political Criticism Representation in Bahlil Lahadalia Memes on Social Media: A Roland Barthes Semiotic Analysis

Abstract

The rapid expansion of social media has transformed political communication by enabling citizens to express opinions and criticism through participatory digital content, including internet memes. As one of the most popular forms of digital expression, political memes function not only as entertainment but also as vehicles for political commentary and symbolic resistance. This study aims to examine how political criticism is represented in social media memes related to Bahlil Lahadalia using Roland Barthes’ semiotic framework. Employing a qualitative descriptive-interpretative approach within a critical paradigm, the study analyzes selected political memes circulated on X, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Data were collected through documentation, online observation, and literature review, and subsequently analyzed through the semiotic dimensions of denotation, connotation, and myth. The findings reveal that political criticism is communicated through satire, parody, irony, and symbolic representations embedded in both visual and verbal signs. At the denotative level, the memes depict Bahlil Lahadalia through various edited images and captions. At the connotative level, these elements express public dissatisfaction, skepticism, and criticism toward political statements, policies, and public image. At the mythological level, the memes construct broader ideological narratives concerning political accountability, public welfare, political authority, and recurring controversy. The study concludes that political memes function as significant instruments of digital political communication, enabling citizens to negotiate political meanings and articulate criticism in creative and accessible ways. Furthermore, memes serve as symbolic spaces where political authority is contested and democratic expression is enacted within Indonesia’s contemporary digital public sphere.