Why do some leaders protect citizens from natural disasters? This article argues that leaders in large coalition systems offer more protection against ocean-originated hazards than those in small coalitions. However, autocrats also invest heavily if their ruling coalition members face coastal risks.

▶ Coalition Size Matters: Findings show leaders in extensive political alliances prioritize widespread disaster safety infrastructure.

▶ Capital Exposure Shifts Behavior: Coastal capitals force all political systems—even single-party—into aggressive sea-level station deployment.

The study uses cross-country variation as its test case and demonstrates two distinct patterns through quantitative analysis. National capitals near coastlines lead to increased protection regardless of system type, while large coalitions inherently produce more comprehensive disaster mitigation.