Elections, backsliding and polarization

Abstract

This panel explores how elections function both as arenas and instruments of democratic backsliding in contexts of rising polarization. Recent work shows that political and especially affective polarization makes citizens more willing to trade off democratic principles for partisan goals, weakening electoral accountability and enabling incumbents to erode checks and balances, civil liberties and electoral integrity while retaining support. Bringing together macro comparative, behavioral and institutional perspectives, the panel asks under what electoral and polarization configurations citizens and elites are most likely to resist or enable democratic erosion, and how these dynamics are reshaping the meaning and practice of elections in contemporary democracies.

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