The forensics of patronage: Identifying the linkage between parties and public sector employment in Serbia

Abstract

While interest in political patronage continues to grow within popular and elite discourses and in academic circles, researchers still face daunting measurement challenges. Focusing on the case of Serbia, we propose a possible solution to the measurement challenge by examining the association between the size of local coalitions and employment in public enterprises in 165+ municipalities in Serbia. Using municipal-level public employment data from 2007 to 2009 and local election and coalition data from 2004 and 2008, this study identifies a relationship between the level of public employment and local government coalition size and composition in the aftermath of the 2008 local elections. The results not only provide support for popular and elite discourses about patronage in Serbia, but they also serve as a pilot test for a methodology that can be applied to other cases.