A political scandal is a situation in which political leaders or government institutions are exposed for breaking laws or ethical standards. Scandals become public knowledge through investigations or leaks, and can lead to reprimands, resignations, or loss of power for the politicians involved. In addition, they can have long-lasting effects by influencing the public discourse on ethics in politics and prompting reforms to increase transparency and accountability. The media plays an important role in highlighting these events by publishing allegations and providing extensive coverage of them. In turn, this information influences how citizens perceive the politicians involved, which can subsequently affect their electoral support and political trust.
Yet, despite the substantial impact of political scandals, little is known about the underlying dynamics that make them so damaging to democracy. In a new study, Wioletta Dziuda and William G. Howell explore this question by examining the link between political scandal and polarization.
They find that the level of political polarization in a country has a powerful effect on how political scandals play out. When a scandal involves an opposing party member, it is more likely that voters will punish that person, even if the evidence is thin. This is because they may assume that the other party’s misbehavior is more common than their own.
However, when a scandal involves their own party members, it is less likely that voters will punish them. This is because they might believe that the other party’s misbehavior could be fabricated.