Replication Data for: Public Support for Power Grabs after Civil Conflict

Abstract Power-sharing is a recognized strategy for reaching durable settlements among rivals. However, power-sharing arrangements are often violated when one side grabs power. We examine public perceptions of power-sharing versus power-grabbing in the context of local policing in Mosul, Iraq. In a survey experiment, we explore if individuals believe that security in Mosul, in the aftermath of ISIS occupation, is enhanced or reduced under power-sharing versus power-grabbing treatments that vary the authority held by distinct factions of the counter-ISIS coalition. We find not only greater public support for power-grabbing over power-sharing on matters of policing and security but also important moderating effects of conflict-related victimization. While non-victims favor ingroup power-grabbing to enhance local, sectarian control, victims place a premium on stability, welcoming even external, out-group control over power-sharing among groups that might conflict with each other. Our results underscore the challenges of institutionalizing power-sharing mechanisms for peacebuilding after conflict.