Local Leader Traits, Local Values and Citizens’ Political Participation in Vietnam

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study investigates the impacts of local leader traits and local values on citizens’ political participation. Specifically, it examines how leadership traits (measured by the term of office and gender) and local values (measured by protests and the status of receiving official development assistance (ODA)) affect citizens’ political participation. It finds that leaders in their first term, protests and receiving ODA positively associate with citizens’ political participation, while female leaders negatively associate with it. The paper contributes to the literature that short-termism and face-saving theories should be appropriately integrated with career path theory to explain political behaviors of local leaders and that preventing short-termism and prejudices against local female leaders are potential solutions for citizens’ political participation. These findings shed light on understanding the roles of local leader traits and local values in promoting citizens’ political participation in communist one-party-led countries.