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