Abstract
What motivates people to run (or run again) for political office? Politics is an ideology-based activity, but is the desire to serve the State and contribute to people’s well-being enough to motivate people? Or are personal and self-interested benefits (like prestige and reputation, or remuneration and career opportunities) able to influence the willingness to run as well? At a time when political ideology seems to be going through a crisis, and politicians’ wages and privileges are being questioned in many countries worldwide, our paper aims to explore what matters (and what matters most) when the decision to engage in politics is made. The data come from a survey administered last year to politicians holding an office in the municipalities of the Canton of Ticino (Councillors, Commissioners and Mayors).