This variable codes the number of support of leadership changes in the year of reference.

This variable is equal to the count of SOLS changes during the country-year in which the new SOLS was in power for more than 30 days in a row. Coded 0 if there are no SOLS changes in the year that last more than 30 days in total. This count variable does not include minor SOLS changes nor SOLS changes that last less than 30 days.

The conceptual definition of change in the source of leader support, i.e., SOLS change, is: a case in which the subset of societal groups whose support allows a leader to retain and exercise power is different from the subset of societal groups whose support allowed the leader's predecessor to retain and exercise power. Operationally, this required the authors first to identify who the leader of a state is and when leadership transitions occur, and then to identify the groups necessary for a leader to retain and exercise power.