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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 12/01/2026

Time to release the calendar for the second term of our UniCatt Political Economy WIP seminars, jointly organized with Tommaso Colussi, Davide Cipullo and Domenico Rossignoli. Tuesday, 5pm, Universita' Cattolica. Everyone welcome!

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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

Who drives this? Exactly who the model predicts: non-graduate, non-term-limited mayors show the strongest tax cuts; graduate or term-limited mayors don’t move. That’s classic pandering under higher loss costs.

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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

Selection result: the reform raises education. Average education of both mayoral candidates and elected mayors increases by ≈ +2 years around the threshold (~+13% vs. a ~15-year mean). “Pay peanuts, get monkeys”? Maybe—but how you pay matters.

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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

Also, high education mayors are less likely to take up positions in a SOE immediately after the end of their mandate.

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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

First check: does the law bite? Yes. The reform cuts the chance that mayors land top SOE posts by ~5 percentage points around the threshold, with no effect on firms where the state holds only a minority (placebo).

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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

• But PCOs are especially valuable to lower human-capital politicians → reducing them deters those candidates more. Overall: reduction in PCO value and in wage can have opposite effects.

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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

Do revolving doors shape who runs for office and how they govern? Short answer: yes—and not always the way you’d expect. New version of my paper with @matteogamalerio.bsky.social builds a model and looks at Italy’s 2013 “Severino” reform (cooling-off period). 🧵

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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

Also, high education mayors are less likely to take up positions in a SOE immediately after the end of their mandate.

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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

• But PCOs are especially valuable to lower human-capital politicians → reducing them deters those candidates more. Overall: reduction in PCO value and in wage can have opposite effects.

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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

🚨Time to release the calendar for the next term of our Political Economy Work-in-progress seminars! Tuesday, 5-6pm, Universita' Cattolica. You're welcome to join us! #EconBsky #PoliSciBsky As usual, organized with Davide Cipullo, Tommaso Colussi and Domenico Rossignoli.

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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 04/08/2025

🚨Davide Cipullo, Tommaso Colussi, Domenico Rossignoli and I are excited to open the call for the 2nd UniCatt Political Economy workshop! We have 2 great keynotes: Alessandra Casella and David Yanagizawa-Drott. Send us your papers (theory or empirics) and let us meet in Milano on December 18.

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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 30/07/2025

And it's finally out! Once again, thanks to my amazing coauthor @matteogamalerio.bsky.social, the editor, the referees, and all those who helped in this journey.

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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

When? From 7th October 2025, every other Tuesday. Why? To get feedback on your work (incl. early stages projects. Both theory and empirics) and chat with other political economists in the Milan area. For more details, here is the call. Looking forward to meeting you in Milano!

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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

I've heard there is a great conference in NY on Friday & Saturday... Full program here: sites.google.com/nyu.edu/lse-...

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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 19/01/2025

🚨 Time to release the calendar for the next term of our Political Economy Work-in-progress seminars! Tuesday, 5-6pm, Universita' Cattolica. Interested in Political Economy and living/working in the area? You're welcome to join us! #EconSky #PoliSciSky

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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 16/12/2024

Looking forward to presenting tomorrow at the @cepr.org Paris Symposium, with so many great colleagues! #CEPRParis2024

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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 10/01/2024

Time to release the calendar for the second term of our Political Economy Work-in-progress seminars! Tuesday, 5-6pm at Universita' Cattolica in Milano. Interested in Political Economy and living/working in the area? You're welcome to join us!

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Federico Trombetta @icotrombetta.bsky.social · 20/10/2023

WORKSHOP ANNOUNCEMENT: 1st UniCatt Political Economy workshop! Two great keynote speakers: @grattonecon.bsky.social and Vincent Pons. Send us your papers (theory or empirics) and let us meet in Milano on December 20! Submission link: forms.gle/DFk1ZApJss4S... Deadline: November 5.

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