In a democracy, the perception of fairness is as crucial as actual fairness. If citizens believe the ‘game is rigged’, trust in government erodes, and they disengage. When people have faith in the electoral process, they are far more willing to accept outcomes – even outcomes they dislike. This phenomenon is often called ‘losers’ consent’, meaning even the losing side in an election consents to live under a regime they don’t support if the process that elected it is seen as fair.