Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/49471 
Year of Publication: 
2011
Series/Report no.: 
CESifo Working Paper No. 3505
Publisher: 
Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo), Munich
Abstract: 
Duverger (1954) noted that changes in electoral systems will have two types of effects: mechanical effects, and reactions of political agents in anticipation of these, which he referred to as psychological effects. It is complicated to empirically separate the two effects since these occur simultaneously. In this paper we use a large set of counterfactual election outcomes to address this issue. Our application is based on a nationwide municipal electoral reform in Norway, which changed the seat allocation method from d'Hondt to modified Sainte-Lagüe. Even though this electoral reform is of a relatively small magnitude, we document substantial psychological effects.
JEL: 
C10
H70
Document Type: 
Working Paper
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