How Incumbent Mayors Affect Democratic Governance: Incumbency, Education, and Kinship Ties in Municipal Councils

• In Event: Enforcement, Redistribution and Stateness

Abstract

This study examines how incumbency strengthens kinship networks within local political institutions, with a focus on the role of education, using data from municipal council elections in Turkey. Our findings reveal that incumbency significantly enhances the role of family networks, particularly in regions with lower educational attainment. Our study shows that education plays a key role in weakening the grip of kinship politics, perpetuating a cycle of poor governance.

Authors

• Tugba Bozcaga, King's College London

• Rabia Kutlu Karasu, Stanford University

• Aytuğ Şaşmaz, Bryn Mawr College