Working Papers


Abstract: This paper examines the lasting impact of early-life exposure to democracy on elite voting behavior. Building on the impressionable years hypothesis, we test whether politicians' exposure to democracy during young age influences their legislative decisions. Exploiting the Nominate dimension on EU integration, we find that legislators who experienced less democratic regimes between ages 18-25 show significantly lower support for pro-EU policies. This effect is more pronounced among right-leaning politicians and robust across multiple specifications and robustness checks. Survey data from MEP questionnaires and a set of robustness checks further support these findings. Our results highlight the enduring influence of early institutional environments on political decision-making. The long-term impact of democratic quality in youth underscores the risks of democratic backsliding. Additionally, our findings inform EU enlargement debates, where institutional quality remains a key criterion. Unlike studies focusing on public opinion, we show how early political socialization translates into concrete policy choices, persisting despite later socialization within parties and legislatures.


Abstract: Building on social identity theory, we suggest that natives from stereotyped groups tend to value cultural distance more and think that immigrants are not good for the economy and the fiscal system. We draw upon research showing that overweight and obese individuals suffer from social stigma and discrimination and we investigate the relationship between high body mass and attitudes toward immigrants in Europe. We exploit the appointment of the Belgian Minister of Health to provide causal evidence that stigmatization and stereotyping contribute to negative attitudes toward immigrants. Furthermore, a survey experiment shows that individuals with a higher body mass index prioritize cultural factors over economic ones when facing immigrants.


         Non-technical summary: Medium


Abstract: This paper empirically tests Max Weber’s thesis on how religious narratives, particularly the Protestant Ethic, influence attitudes toward wealth redistribution. Weber suggested that the Protestant Reformation, led to the belief that economic success was a sign of divine favor, legitimizing wealth inequality. Using a variation of the dictator game with "blessed" framing, we measure how participants’ redistribution behaviors change when primed with this narrative. Our results show that low-income Protestants exposed to the "blessed" narrative are less likely to redistribute wealth compared to Catholics, supporting Weber’s idea that Protestants justify inequality through divine providence. Furthermore, a narrative analysis reveals that Protestants interpret “blessing” as divine election, while Catholics focus more on well-being. These findings suggest that religious narratives significantly shape economic behaviors and preferences for redistribution, providing empirical support for Weber’s thesis.



Abstract: This study investigates the impact of the Italian Legality Rating (LR) on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in public procurement. The LR, issued by the Italian Antitrust Authority, evaluates firms based on fiscal transparency, anti-corruption practices, corporate responsibility, and sustainability. While larger firms are more likely to obtain higher LR scores, SMEs benefit significantly from holding the certification. Using firm-level data and a Regression Discontinuity Design, we find that the LR increases SMEs’ tender-winning probabilities by 12.9 percentage points, highlighting its role as a strong institutional signal. Our findings emphasize the LR’s potential to enhance SME competitiveness in public procurement.

Work in progress