To Compete or to Cooperate: Intra-elite Dynamics in an Electoral Autocracy

In a multiparty authoritarian election, candidates of the ruling coalition may cooperate with each other to defeat the opposition. Alternatively, they may compete against each other, as their support bases often overlap. To what extent would they compete or cooperate? Using disaggregate election data from Hong Kong, we conduct a systematic analysis of the intra-elite dynamics in elections. We find that the ruling coalition in Hong Kong has strived to suppress intra-camp competition in order to optimize nominations and vote division. We also find, however, that pro-establishment parties increasingly guard against each other, which makes within-camp, cross-party coordination more difficult.