With less than a month to go before the September 25 general election, politicians are taking the youth’s social media platform of choice by storm.

Giorgia Meloni, Matteo Salvini and Carlo Calenda have long made a conscious effort to infiltrate the social-media spheres of under-30s.

“Welcome. I've been there for years,” claimed Lega leader Salvini.

Now cropping up in the app’s feed are Silvio Berlusconi, Matteo Renzi, Giovanni Toti (with his 'TikTotik' posts) and the PD, which has entrusted Alessandro Zan, the father of a proposed law against homophobia/transphobia, as the face of its first outing. For Berlusconi, things have started off with a bang.

Halfway through the day of its release, his first video racked up almost 300,000 likes, close to 18,000 comments and 64,000 retweets. The Azzurri leader, always at ease with the cameras, appeared seated, in a dark suit and with winking mimicry addressed the young people of Italy.

“Hi guys,” he said smiling, “here I am! I welcome you to my official TikTok channel!”

Sitting at his desk, he recalled with a hint of self-mockery that “there are over 5 million young people on this platform and 60% are under 30. I suffer from a little bit of envy, but I congratulate myself all the same...”

His promise is to discuss the topics dear to under-30s: “I will tell you how I want to make Italy a country that can give you new opportunities and where you can realise your dreams. Bye again and see you soon- on TikTok!”

Iv leader Matteo Renzi’s social media initiation is also now under way. In a white shirt and tie, he spoke standing up in a video that alternates between images of his private life and career, and in just a few hours, has collected 13,000 likes. “And what are you doing on TikTok too? That's all we needed...,” he said ironically.

"For many of you," he continued in the same vein, "I am an expert in 'first reaction shock' or 'Shish', languages almost more complex than cursive.

But then he cited his experience as mayor, and proudly recalled that he was the youngest premier in Republican history: “I am someone who believes in politics. If you like that, here I am.”

Then, a few hours after the first video, he posted another one claiming partnership of the '18app' bonus for the very young.

The Democrats are also turning directly to eighteen-year-olds, recalling that this year, for the first time, new adults will also be able to vote for Palazzo Madama.

"From today,” said Enrico Letta, “the PD is on TikTok. We will discuss priorities that politics often neglects with our youngest.”

The testimonial for the first outing of a Dem tiktoker comes from Alessandro Zan. In a white T-shirt, he spoke while walking and pointed out: “the PD has decided to make the first video on TikTok about rights, against a right-wing that has always used benaltrismo, there is more to do.”

Also among the politicians landing on TikTok is Governor Giovanni Toti, who in a video spoke to young people from his office, signing himself as 'TikTotik': “it is always open for you: here it is”, he said.

Meanwhile, there are also politicians who choose to avoid socials: 'Hi guys, here I am. Vote for me because I will NOT use TikTok in the election campaign,” wrote Dem Matteo Orfini on Twitter.

Only after September 25 will it be known whether and how much the move to social media pays off in terms of electoral consensus. For the time being, experts have warned: socials are good, but instructions for use are needed. The landing of almost all the political leaders on TikTok, observed Antonio Preiti, director of Sociometrica, provides them with a “phenomenal” channel of communication with young people, but this social engagement requires “a language of its own, made up of speed, rhythm, irony and music.”