It feels that voting, counting & elections in general are facing mounting challenge to results, no matter the reality of the election. Is this a new narrative, or is it one that's only starting to gain traction in recent years?

This came up recently close to home, where in our national South African elections, small & newer parties threatened legal action & potential violence due to claims of 'rigging' and 'stolen votes', even when external auditors & general South Africans appeared to back the process and counts.

It feels like these (potentially unsubstantiated) claims are pushed with confidence, and I don't fully understand whether this is something orchestrated, or a simple echo chamber mimicking successful campaigns like those we saw in the US with Donald Trump?

I just struggle to believe that rallying against results spawns from thin air? Is it a push by parties themselves, or potentially a push from foreign countries wanting to destabilise economies, or is it just simply due to people having easier access to information and direct messaging from parties themselves?

It appears that similar narratives are spawning right now about the French elections, hence this post! tia