Culture and Political Attitudes: The Assimilation of Immigrants in Western Europe

This paper examines differences in political attitudes between natives and immigrants in 23 European countries. Using six rounds of the European Social Survey (2010 -2020), we find that foreign-born immigrants exhibit similar levels of trust in political institutions as observationally similar natives but hold more positive views on redistribution, gay rights, European integration, and immigration policy. Immigrants' age at migration is associated with larger opinion gaps regarding European integration and trust in political institutions. Additionally, attitudes toward immigration policy and trust in political institutions converge with those of natives for immigrants who migrated between the ages of 15 and 25, reaching parity 10 to 15 years after migration. Further analysis conducted at the subnational level reveals significant convergence between local political culture and the attitudes of first-generation immigrants. In matters of EU integration, migration policy, and trust in political institutions, this convergence is stronger among immigrants who migrated at a younger age and have resided in the host country for a longer period, suggesting a process of acculturation through direct interaction with natives. In contrast, the convergence of views on redistribution and gay rights appears to be independent of both age at migration and time since migration, indicating that immigrant preferences in these areas are more likely driven by self-selection and endogenous assimilation choices rather than acculturation.