This paper examines the strategic manipulation of government debt data—referred to as “fiscal rule stretching”—among European Union member states, particularly in response to electoral incentives, financial market stress, and the constraints of the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP). Using Eurostat revisions of government debt figures, we find that countries with higher debt levels, particularly those exceeding the 60% of GDP SGP threshold, are more likely to have their debt figures revised upwards. Our analysis further reveals that eurozone members are more inclined to engage in rule stretching, especially when facing Excessive Deficit Procedure (EDP) enforcement. Election timing plays a crucial role in this behavior, with unscheduled elections and proximity to elections both significantly increasing the likelihood of debt revisions […]