A political scandal is a public revelation of unethical behavior by politicians, government officials, or other figures in the political landscape. It may involve the misuse of entrusted power for personal gain or other unethical activities, such as bribery or embezzlement. Political scandals have long-term implications on the integrity of democratic governance and can erode voter trust in leaders and institutions. They can also spawn cynicism towards future elections and governmental processes. The changing media landscape impacts how these events are reported and the public perception of them, including polarized views on what should be considered newsworthy.
A key question is how private misbehavior becomes a political scandal. In a new paper, Wioletta Dziuda and William G. Howell (University of Chicago) provide a novel explanation, showing that the transformation of bad behavior into political scandal is largely determined by the level of partisanship in a system. In polarized times, political scandals are more likely to occur and be perceived as a negative by voters. This is because the involved politician’s partisan opponents will be quick to accuse of misconduct, while their own party will vehemently deny it.
This polarization increases the chances of a scandal being uncovered, and it increases the political costs to the politician, especially if they are caught. They can be forced to resign, lose support, or even face criminal charges. This can have lasting effects on the political landscape, with studies showing that local corruption levels and voter turnout are lower for a decade or more after a scandal occurs in electorally competitive municipalities where the scandal involved a member of the municipal council.