Why do some politicians get away with overt corruption? While some degree of polarisation can foster democratic competition, antagonistic divisions may make voters less willing to punish corrupt leaders. The article explores the complex relationship between polarisation and corruption across different political regimes.

The study of Áron Hajnal, Veronika Patkós and Aslinur Inalcic in Eastern European Politics examines how different forms of polarisation shape political corruption through a comparative case study of Hungary and Turkey between 2000 and 2022. Drawing on quantitative and qualitative data sources, the analysis traces four theorised mechanisms linking elite and mass polarisation to political corruption. Findings indicate that elite ideological polarisation can modestly deter corruption, but mass polarisation undermines accountability and thereby facilitates corrupt practices. Crucially, these effects appear to be conditional on regime context: the anti-corruption effects of elite polarisation are only observed during relatively democratic periods, while the corruption-enhancing effects of mass polarisation intensify as democratic institutions erode.