Autocratic Leadership and the Policy Agendas of International Organizations

Autocracies have increasingly taken on leadership roles in international organizations (IOs), raising questions about how this affects what IOs do and decide. Do autocratic leaders steer the policy agendas of IOs away from politically sensitive issues, such as human rights and intervention, or do regime differences matter little once states act through formal organizations? This paper addresses this question by studying the effect of autocratic presidencies on the decisions adopted by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Theoretically, it develops expectations about the direct and conditional effects of autocratic leadership on IO policies. Methodologically, it leverages the UNSC’s rotating presidency to enable more credible causal identification of these effects. The results have implications for research on regime type, international negotiations, and the impact of democratic backsliding on world politics.