Migrants away from the polls: explaining the absenteeism of people with sub-Saharan African origins in the 2022 French presidential elections

Mișcoiu, S., Mitru, B. and Gherghina, S. (2024) Migrants away from the polls: explaining the absenteeism of people with sub-Saharan African origins in the 2022 French presidential elections. Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power, (doi: 10.1080/1070289x.2023.2298576) (Early Online Publication)

Abstract

The electoral participation of migrants in the country of residence has been often investigated through the lenses of motivations, preferences, and consequences. The literature to date has paid little attention to what factors inhibit migrants from voting, which is especially important in contexts where their absenteeism is an ongoing feature. To this end, our article aims to identify why French people with origins in sub-Saharan African countries did not vote in the 2022 presidential elections. This group of migrants is particularly inactive in politics. The qualitative analysis uses semi-structured interviews and one focus group with first- and second-generation migrants from sub-Saharan African countries living in France. The findings indicate that the main reasons for their absenteeism at the 2022 presidential elections have deep roots and are unlikely to change in the near future: feelings of non-integration, limited procedural knowledge about voting, and negative attitudes towards politics and politicians.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous), Anthropology, Cultural Studies
• Status: Early Online Publication
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Gherghina, Dr Sergiu
• Authors: Mișcoiu, S., Mitru, B., and Gherghina, S.
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Politics
• Journal Name: Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• ISSN: 1070-289X
• ISSN (Online): 1547-3384
• Published Online: 07 January 2024
• Copyright Holders: Copyright: © 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor and Francis Group
• First Published: First published in Identities: Global Studies in Culture and Power 2024
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy