The Re-Election of Corrupt Politicians

Why do European voters reelect corrupt politicians? While several lines of inquiry exist, one of the most promising research areas focuses on the number of effective parties. The argument suggests that in a political competitive system opposition parties can distribute the information on corrupt incumbents to give voters the opportunity to punish these politicians at the election. However, empirical results are ambiguous. Instead, I suggest that what matters is the type of opposition party and how they distribute information on corrupt incumbents as well as whether voters believe they have an electoral alternative. The empirical support relies, among others, on the Corruption Perception Index (2000-2011) and two National Election Studies from Ireland and Finland. My analysis indicates that voters not only take into account the overall extend of perceived corruption but also which parties disseminate the information and the electoral alternatives available to them when considering reelection.