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Careful What You Say: The Effect of Manipulative Information on the 2013 Czech Presidential Run-off Election

Author

Listed:
  • Guzi, Martin

    (Masaryk University)

  • Mikula, Stepan

    (Masaryk University)

Abstract

We exploit a quasi-natural experiment that emerged during the Czech presidential run-off election to identify the impact of inaccurate and misleading information on electoral outcomes. A political campaign associated a vote for one of the candidates with a legally and politically unfounded risk relevant to people owning houses confiscated from ethnic Germans after the Second World War. Using municipalitylevel data in a difference-in-differences framework, our analysis suggests that the manipulative campaign affected the electoral outcomes and increased voter turnout in municipalities with a higher share of voters at risk of the unproven threat to housing ownership.

Suggested Citation

  • Guzi, Martin & Mikula, Stepan, 2021. "Careful What You Say: The Effect of Manipulative Information on the 2013 Czech Presidential Run-off Election," IZA Discussion Papers 14856, IZA Network @ LISER.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp14856
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Barrera, Oscar & Guriev, Sergei & Henry, Emeric & Zhuravskaya, Ekaterina, 2020. "Facts, alternative facts, and fact checking in times of post-truth politics," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    2. Cantarella, Michele & Fraccaroli, Nicolò & Volpe, Roberto, 2023. "Does fake news affect voting behaviour?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(1).
    3. Guzi, Martin & Huber, Peter & Mikula, Štěpán, 2021. "The long-term impact of the resettlement of the Sudetenland on residential migration," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    4. Corbi, Raphael & Picchetti, Pedro, 2020. "The cost of gendered attitudes on a female candidate: Evidence from Google Trends," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State
    • P14 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Property Rights

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