### What's Known Before Now?

Postwar elections often feature parties linked to past violence.

### New Findings & Insights:

New cross-national data reveals that military strength at conflict's end is a key factor in electoral success for belligerents. This power disparity helps dominant groups claim peace credit, positioning them as competent security providers and appealing to undecided voters.

### Real-World Takeaways/Implications:

This study shows how voters' decisions can be influenced by a group's military dominance post-conflict, offsetting negative perceptions of past atrocities through perceived competence. This offers insights into political dynamics after periods of violence.