Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Boldrini, Michela   
Author-Email: michela.boldrini@unibocconi.it 
Author-Name: Conzo, Pierluigi
Author-Email: pierluigi.conzo@unito.i
Author-Name: Fiore, Simona 
Author-Email:simona.fiore@univr.it
Author-Name: Zotti, Roberto
Author-Email: roberto.zotti@unito.it
Author-Workplace-Name: University of Turin
Author-Workplace-Homepage: http://www.est.unito.it/
Title: Blaming migrants doesn’t pay: the political effects of the Ebola epidemic in Italy.
Abstract: This paper investigates the political consequences of perceived health risks asso-
ciated with immigration in Italy. We leverage the exogeneity of the 2014 Ebola
epidemic, which resulted in almost no cases in Italy but triggered a significant pub-
lic reaction, with extreme right-wing politicians claiming ongoing immigration could
endanger citizens’ health. In a differences-in-differences framework, we examine the
changes in the vote share of the main right-wing and anti-immigration party, Lega,
across Northern Italian municipalities before and during the Ebola outbreak. Treat-
ment is based on perceived exposure to risk-Ebola immigrants, proxied by the local
historical concentration of immigrants from countries affected by Ebola in 2014. Re-
sults document a drop in political support for Lega in municipalities with a larger
share of risk-Ebola migrants. Our findings, robust to falsification tests and alter-
native treatment definitions, suggest that strategically exploiting a health crisis to
garner support for anti-immigrant policies can eventually backfire.
Length: pages 48
Creation-Date: 2023-12
File-URL: https://www.est.unito.it/do/home.pl/Download?doc=/allegati/wp2023dip/wp_20_2023.pdf
File-Format: Application/PDF
Handle: RePEc:uto:dipeco:202320