Does political competition improve public Infrastructure?

This study empirically analyses the relation between political competition and the provision of public infrastructure. It employs cross-section data of districts across Indonesia during the 2014 district legislative election. Measuring political competition using Herfindahl Hirschman Index and public infrastructure using the percentage of villages with asphalt roads, the results show a negative association between political competition and public infrastructure structure. The possible reasons for this finding are turn-over effect, rent-seeking behaviour and coalition.