Political Trust and Support for Democracy Among Migrant Groups
P6-S147-4
Presented by: Alex Hartland
Despite centuries of human migration, little is known about the political attitudes of those who migrate. As our understanding of political trust and the rise of distrust continue to develop, and the share of residents with a migration background increases in many European countries, it is timely to consider the interaction of these trends. How does a history of migration affect political trust and democratic attitudes among different groups and in different contexts? To address this question, I combine existing over-sampled survey data collected in several countries, including France, Germany, and the Netherlands, and combine it with original survey data collected as part of the ActEU project, a Horizon Europe-funded study of political trust in 10 EU countries. Recent studies find that political attitudes result from early socialisation and change little over time, particularly with regard to political trust. Others find evidence of Euroscepticism, low turnout, and a lack of political participation among some migrant groups in some European countries, potential indicators of political distrust. My research therefore contributes to two strands of research to address the stability of trust attitudes and demonstrate their presence or absence among migrant groups. The results illustrate the differences and similarities between the attitudes of minority and majority groups in different contexts, and identify the factors which change or strengthen political trust and support for democracy.
Keywords: migration, political trust, democratic satisfaction, political attitudes, survey data