A political scandal is an event that exposes unethical or illegal behavior of politicians, resulting in public outrage and often causing investigations or resignations. These events significantly influence citizens’ satisfaction with democracy, their trust in governmental institutions, and the overall political climate. The way in which political scandals are framed by media coverage plays a key role in shaping their impact on voters and the political environment.
The definition of what is considered a political scandal varies across countries. However, the research field generally agrees on two broad and important lessons: political corruption is not only about private self-enrichment but also about the use of public office for partisan ends (von Sikorski, Knoll, & Matthes, 2017). Moreover, political scandals require that real or conjectured norm transgressions be publicly reported to elicit criticism and other reactions. This requires a substantial amount of social capital, especially for actors in positions of power and influence.
The political consequences of scandals are complex and long-lasting. For example, major scandals such as Watergate and the Panama Papers led to reforms aimed at increasing transparency and accountability of political institutions. Such changes can have a positive effect on citizen satisfaction with democracy and trust in government institutions.
Nonetheless, scandals can have negative effects for the party of the politician involved. This is particularly true in polarized times, when the public’s skepticism of politicians and the political landscape are high. The emergence of partisan scandals, in which one party accuses the opposition of unethical behavior while the latter vehemently denies the accusations, can have negative consequences for parties as they lose legitimacy due to their inability to weed out inappropriate behavior.