Public Opinion and Leaders’ Crisis Behavior Against Domestic Armed Groups

Abstract

Does the public disapprove of leaders who back down to initiate negotiation with non-state armed actors? This study advances our understanding of leader-public interactions during domestic security crises. First, we argue that the public disapproves of their leaders when they back down to initiate negotiations with non-state armed actors. Second, the public’s disapproval stems from their transfer of negative emotional reactions against armed groups to their leaders if they fail to escalate. Using survey experiments with Indian and Nigerian respondents, we provide novel empirical evidence to shed more light on strategic policy choices confronting leaders during domestic security crises.