Abstract
In several world regions, democracy is in retreat. This retreat is taking place amid growing polarization in many countries,
and analysts are increasingly concerned with the role that deepening political divisions play in processes of democratic
decline. This article investigates the relationship between partisan polarization and deteriorating public support for
democratic institutions. It leverages the case of Indonesia, a major third-wave democracy now in the midst of a
democratic regression. Indonesia’s political landscape has become more ideologically polarized in recent years, despite
the strength of clientelist networks and low levels of party identification. Using four survey experiments, we find that
Indonesians embrace illiberal interventions and abandon democratic institutions when exposed to party and leadership
cues. These results suggest that political polarization may prompt citizens to abandon democratic norms even in
democracies without strong partisan identities.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 554-566 |
Journal | Party Politics |
Volume | 28 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2022 |