Voter Response to Conservation Policies in Madagascar

International conservation groups pour millions of dollars into developing countries to help preserve resources and set conservation priorities, but critics argue that affected populations are often excluded from the decision-making process. In 2003 many in the international community praised the president of Madagascar for his pledge to more than triple the area under protection. This paper examines how voting patterns in the president's re-election bid differed in communities affected by these policies. The results suggest less support for the president in regions with new protected areas but that these policies would be unlikely to change the outcome of an election.