Leaking season: An analysis of the timing of media disclosures from party insiders in Sweden 2010-2024

Why is compromising information about misconduct in political parties leaked to the media by party insiders? Drawing on previous research and interviews with political and investigative journalists, we hypothesize that such media disclosures are made with political intent and thus more likely when (1) party list nominations take place and (2) when parties are losing popular support. Through an analysis of 349 newspaper articles of misconduct in political parties leaked by party insiders to Swedish print media between 2010 and 2024, we find support for both expectations. We therefore conclude that intra-party leaks are indeed likely to be made with political intent, at least indirectly. This paper contributes novel theoretical and empirical insights to research on political parties, political scandals, and leaks and whistleblowing by illustrating the role media disclosures made by party insiders play in internal party power struggles.