Costly Commitments in Authoritarian Regime Formation: Evidence From Tunisia

Holger Albrecht, Dina Bishara, Kevin Koehler, Department of Political Science, The University of Alabama, School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University, Institute of Law, and Development, Anna School of Advanced Studies

Political Research Quarterly

Published online on June 16, 2026

Abstract

Political Research Quarterly, Ahead of Print.
This article theorizes costly commitments in autocracies. Populist leaders who ascend to power through anti-establishment appeals confront a strategic dilemma between consolidating winning coalitions and maintaining the loyalty of their selectorate. ...