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Electoral Turnovers

Author

Listed:
  • Benjamin Marx
  • Vincent Pons
  • Vincent Rollet

Abstract

In most national elections, voters face a key choice between continuity and change. Electoral turnovers occur when the incumbent candidate or party fails to win reelection. To understand how turnovers affect national outcomes, we study all presidential and parliamentary elections held globally between 1946 and 2018. We document the prevalence of turnovers over time and estimate their effects on economic performance, human development, and the quality of democracy. Using a close-elections regression discontinuity design across countries, we show that turnovers improve several measures of country performance. To explain these positive effects, we explore how electoral turnovers affect leader characteristics, shape policy decisions, reduce perceived corruption, and foster accountability.

Suggested Citation

  • Benjamin Marx & Vincent Pons & Vincent Rollet, 2022. "Electoral Turnovers," NBER Working Papers 29766, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:29766
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    Cited by:

    1. Grolleau, Gilles & Weber, Christoph, 2024. "The effect of inflation on CO2 emissions: An analysis over the period 1970–2020," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    2. Qureshi, Irfan A. & Ahmad, Ghufran, 2025. "Oil price shocks and US business cycles," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    3. Peveri, Julieta, 2022. "The wise, the politician, and the strongman: Types of national leaders and quality of governance," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(4), pages 849-895.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • O43 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Institutions and Growth
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

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