Do Recall Elections Undermine Political Support? Insights from the Recall of the Mayor of Frankfurt in 2022

Abstract

Concerns about the impact of recall referendums on political support have not been empirically examined so far. For this purpose, we conducted a postelection survey of around 800 respondents in Frankfurt after the mayoral election in March 2023 which followed a successful recall in November 2022. First, there is overwhelming support for recall elections, with 87% of respondents in favour. Even supporters of the recalled candidate rarely dislike the instrument and see little need for electoral reform. Second, only a few respondents are concerned about the impact of recalls on political support, but when they are, it often leads them to disapprove of recalls. Third, political support by the recall electoral losers – as measured by satisfaction with democracy and turnout in the successor election – is at worst only slightly reduced. Taken together, these findings do not suggest that recalls damage people’s views of the political system.