Luisa Dörr prepared this study while she was working at the ifo Center for Public Finance and Political Economy. The study was completed in February 2022 and accepted as doctoral thesis by the Department of Economics at the University of Munich. It consists of three distinct empirical essays...

This thesis examines the reciprocity between the economy and elections, politicians, and policies. To inform voters about the consequences of their ballot choices, understanding the triangular relationship between the economy, political actors, and policies is essential. In representative...

This thesis consists of five independent chapters, studying how economic agents respond to unanticipated shocks. Chapter 1 shows that a well-intentioned policy can create unintended barrier to voting by creating seemingly small shocks to voting costs. Election administrators in Munich control...

The Internet has significantly expanded worldwide, changing our relationship with the world, and the way we communicate, educate, and inform ourselves. Africa, despite having a very low number of fixed-broadband subscriptions for 100 inhabitants, has not escaped the Internet phenomenon, as the...

Die vorliegende Studie zeigt auf Basis der IW-Personenbefragung 2024, dass rund 62 Prozent der Deutschen die Wahl des Europäischen Parlaments für wichtig halten. Dies ist das Ergebnis unter rund 5.200 Befragten. Der Anteil liegt damit in etwa so hoch wie die Wahlbeteiligung im Jahr 2019. Die...

We consider a median voter model with uncertainty about how the economy functions. The distribution of income is exogenously given and the provision of a public good is financed through a proportional tax. Voters and politicians do not know the true production function for the public good, but...

Aufgrund von stetig anwachsenden Ausgaben und Schulden des öffentlichen Sektors, sowie gleichzeitig einer Verschlechterung der allgemeinen Wirtschaftslage, wurde in den OECD-Ländern seit den 70er und 80er Jahren des 20. Jahrhunderts zunehmend ein effizienter(er) Staat gefordert. In der Folge...

This paper addresses the personal linkages between the public service and the legislature that emerge because public servants pursue a political mandate. There are concerns that the strong representation of public servants in many Western parliaments compromises the constitutionally proposed...

Am 25. und 26. Mai ist Europa-Wahl. Wenn sich die Tendenz aus den letzten vier Jahrzehnten fortsetzt, wird die Mehrheit der Wahlberechtigten aller Voraussicht nach nicht die Wahlurne aufsuchen und stattdessen darauf verzichten, die Zukunft Europas mitzugestalten. Die Gründe dafür sind...

The aim of this doctoral project is an empirical analysis of questions concerning economics of education, in particular education policy. The first key aspect is the relationship between public opinion and the level of information of the population. As part of this, a first research project...