Do Politicians Shape the Electorate ? Evidence from French Municipalities

When public housing is managed at the local level, politicians might strategically influence admission policies to attract inhabitants more likely to vote for them. Using thirty years of municipal elections in France, we show that in cities where a left- instead of right-wing mayor has been elected, the share of immigrants in the population increases by 1p.p. within six years after the elections. Most of this increase reflects an increase in the share of non-European immigrants in municipal public housing. In cities initially endowed with more public housing, the effects are higher, more persistent, and associated with longer-lasting incumbent advantage.