Autocratization Spillover: When Electing an Authoritarian Erodes Election Trust across Borders.

ABSTRACT: The rich literature on election trust predominantly uses domestic determinants as explanatory factors. But given the international nature of the autocratization wave, can an autocratization event across borders erode election trust? This article argues that an authoritarian's electoral success in a neighboring country can shatter democratic norms and demonstrate the viability of authoritarians. This autocratization event abroad can thus reduce citizens' principled support for democracy and its political system. Consequently, citizens across borders are less likely to see democratic elections as the "only game in town" and they have less trust in elections. To test this idea, I study the spillover effects of the 2018 Brazilian presidential election, in which an authoritarian candidate won d

SUBMITTER: Chan KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11300036 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature