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Where do politicians send pork? Evidence from central government transfers to French municipalities

Author

Listed:
  • Brice Fabre

    (Paris School of Economics (PSE) and Institut des Politiques Publiques (IPP))

  • Marc Sangnier

Abstract

This paper uses French data to simultaneously estimate the impact of two types of connections on government subsidies allocated to municipalities. We distinguish between municipalities in which ministers held office before being appointed to the government, and those where they lived as children. Exploiting ministers’ entries into and exits from the government, we show that cities where a minister was mayor receive 30% more investment subsidies when the politician they are linked to enters into the government, and a similar size decrease when the minister leaves. We do not find these outcomes for cities that ministers lived in as children.

Suggested Citation

  • Brice Fabre & Marc Sangnier, 2022. "Where do politicians send pork? Evidence from central government transfers to French municipalities," DeFiPP Working Papers 2202, University of Namur, Development Finance and Public Policies.
    • Handle: RePEc:nam:defipp:2202
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    File URL: https://defipp.unamur.be/wp/defipp_wp_2022_2.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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