Elections in Germany during the refugee influx did not escalate anti-refugee violence; instead, violence decreased post-election, indicating a stabilizing effect of electoral processes.
Authors
Vito D’Orazio, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, United States
Soham Das, Assistant Professor, Jindal School of International Affairs, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India
Nils Roemer, Ackerman Center for Holocaust Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, United States
Summary
Electoral violence can influence and even delegitimize electoral contests. Yet, much of the research on electoral violence excludes established democracies. As a result, we know relatively little about the relationship between elections and political violence in these states. This paper explores the relationship between anti-refugee violence, a type of political violence, and elections in Germany during the refugee influx of the 2010s. Despite the heightened tensions, harsh political rhetoric, and polarized environment surrounding elections during this period, we find no evidence that anti-refugee violence increased pre-election or post-election. However, there is robust evidence that violence decreased post-election. This finding demonstrates a societal benefit of elections and has implications for many people concerned about political violence.
Published in: Terrorism and Political Violence
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