From Rhetoric to Reality: Assessing the Effects of Populism on Corruption

Vincenzo Alfano and Salvatore Capasso

Economics and Politics, 2025, vol. 37, issue 3, 845-868

Abstract: This study explores the relationship between populism and corruption, focusing on the impact of the rise of populist parties on different kinds of corruption levels in a sample of 30 European countries over a recent period (1993–2019). Utilizing feasible‐generalized least square estimators, our quantitative analysis reveals a positive correlation between the share of seats held by populist parties and both grand and passive corruption, whereas populist electoral support is negatively correlated with public sector active corruption. The findings, robust to several different robustness tests, suggest that while electoral support for populist parties contributes to a decline in petty and active corruption, once in power there is an increase in grand and passive corruption. The consequences of these findings are discussed. In short, this study sheds light on the nuanced dynamics between populism and corruption, providing crucial empirical insights into the consequences of populist movements on governance and integrity.

Date: 2025
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