Erica Frantz

So in that way, the lack of experience can be very harmful for democracy because there's little incentive for these individuals to push back against the leader. And on top of it, they tend to not have the same political experience when it comes to collectively organizing to push back against the leader.

So in that way, the lack of experience can be very harmful for democracy because there's little incentive for these individuals to push back against the leader. And on top of it, they tend to not have the same political experience when it comes to collectively organizing to push back against the leader.

So we think about capacity in a couple ways. One is that we know, using anecdotal evidence and so forth, that when individuals don't have much experience working with one another and don't have much experience in politics in general, that they don't have the political sophistication, let's say, to know how to collectively act against the leader.

So we think about capacity in a couple ways. One is that we know, using anecdotal evidence and so forth, that when individuals don't have much experience working with one another and don't have much experience in politics in general, that they don't have the political sophistication, let's say, to know how to collectively act against the leader.

And then the other thing that we can look at is the party structure in terms of the strength of local party organizations. Ideally, you want a party to be this robust political organization where there are local organizations that are strong and where it is not super top-heavy. And instead, with personalist parties, we see very top-heavy politics.

And then the other thing that we can look at is the party structure in terms of the strength of local party organizations. Ideally, you want a party to be this robust political organization where there are local organizations that are strong and where it is not super top-heavy. And instead, with personalist parties, we see very top-heavy politics.

And we can show in the data that with personalist parties, the leader is more likely to control nominations and where political actors are fearful that if they depart from that individual's messaging, that they are going to be unlikely to win political office. So basically more likely to steer the careers of party officials and party members.

And we can show in the data that with personalist parties, the leader is more likely to control nominations and where political actors are fearful that if they depart from that individual's messaging, that they are going to be unlikely to win political office. So basically more likely to steer the careers of party officials and party members.

And then on top of it, we know that these leaders are also more likely to personally fund the political party. And so right from the get-go, if the leader is playing a dominant role in funding the political party, they're going to have disproportionate influence. They can control the direction of the party. And a good example of that would be from Georgia with Ivanishvili and the Georgian Dream.

And then on top of it, we know that these leaders are also more likely to personally fund the political party. And so right from the get-go, if the leader is playing a dominant role in funding the political party, they're going to have disproportionate influence. They can control the direction of the party. And a good example of that would be from Georgia with Ivanishvili and the Georgian Dream.

He's this billionaire individual who was able to create the Georgian Dream, personally funds it, and we've seen significant Democratic backsliding in Georgia as well. So both capacity and incentive are important for understanding when we're going to see incumbent parties push back.

He's this billionaire individual who was able to create the Georgian Dream, personally funds it, and we've seen significant Democratic backsliding in Georgia as well. So both capacity and incentive are important for understanding when we're going to see incumbent parties push back.

In some instances, they have little reason to want to do so because they have no political future outside of the leader's longevity. In other instances, they really don't have the tools to be able to do much to challenge the leader besides defect and leave the party and threaten their own career.

In some instances, they have little reason to want to do so because they have no political future outside of the leader's longevity. In other instances, they really don't have the tools to be able to do much to challenge the leader besides defect and leave the party and threaten their own career.

So, yes, it's true that in some instances leaders have used money to gain influence and Trump has certainly used his dominating media presence to gain influence. But I think that that's fairly similar actually to Bukele in El Salvador. who won power with this newly formed party and then was really, really effective at using social media to establish a brand, to get out of his messaging.

So, yes, it's true that in some instances leaders have used money to gain influence and Trump has certainly used his dominating media presence to gain influence. But I think that that's fairly similar actually to Bukele in El Salvador. who won power with this newly formed party and then was really, really effective at using social media to establish a brand, to get out of his messaging.

He was able to sideline traditional political institutions by just resorting to social media to put out his message. And he's very much an attention seeker, just like Trump. He brands himself as this kind of ordinary cool guy, I guess you could say, with his baseball hats that he wears at his events. And he's really obsessed with media attention in ways that are similar to Trump.

He was able to sideline traditional political institutions by just resorting to social media to put out his message. And he's very much an attention seeker, just like Trump. He brands himself as this kind of ordinary cool guy, I guess you could say, with his baseball hats that he wears at his events. And he's really obsessed with media attention in ways that are similar to Trump.

So I think that there are multiple routes that you can get this sort of influence over your political system. But the core thing that is in alignment in all these places is that we don't see political elites envision a future outside of the leader's influence.

So I think that there are multiple routes that you can get this sort of influence over your political system. But the core thing that is in alignment in all these places is that we don't see political elites envision a future outside of the leader's influence.