Anti-corruption policies on the municipal politics

Abstract

Although experts recommend the adoption of independent anti-corruption institutions, we still do not know what such authority delegated to unelected agents could entail for electoral competition. The aim of this project is to test the impact of anti-corruption actions by independent institutions on the stability of the party system. The main hypothesis is that the absence of the opposition in leading anti-corruption actions would drive voters to choose outsiders and small parties. With data from the municipal audits carried out by the Federal Comptroller Body (CGU) and on the candidates convicted by the Supreme Electoral Court (TSE), the hypothesis will be tested with methods of natural experiment and instrumental variable. The results may provide relevant implications for the discussion about the impact of anti-corruption actions on municipal politics.