Voter Accountability Shifts Post-War Violence: Why Do They Still Support the Perpetrators?

### Why This Matters

This study examines why civilians who suffer violent political violence after war often remain loyal to the perpetrators. The paper argues that accountability mechanisms in post-conflict societies are often weak or ineffective, leading citizens to blame victims rather than hold perpetrators accountable.

### New Findings

Drawing on survey experiments and qualitative insights from data collected across multiple conflict zones, we find three key findings:

• Voters tend to shift their support toward the winning side after violence against civilians is witnessed.
• They often attribute attacks to partisan actors rather than government forces or state institutions.
• This victim-blaming behavior significantly weakens post-war peace agreements.

### How We Did It

Researchers designed survey experiments in regions with ongoing transitional justice issues, presenting hypothetical scenarios of civilian victimization during political competition periods.