Forced migrant arrivals can reduce political trust in African host communities

• Difference-in-differences analyses show that refugee arrivals may reduce political trust in host communities. • The negative effect is stronger among people with lower education. • It is important to mitigate negative consequences of arrivals in host communities to uphold political legitimacy. Previous research shows that the arrival of forcibly displaced people may have a considerable impact on the economy and on livelihoods within host communities. This is particularly the case in many Afric