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The Consequences of Hosting Asylum Seekers for Citizens' Policy Preferences

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  • Zimmermann, Severin

    (University of Basel)

  • Stutzer, Alois

    (University of Basel)

Abstract

Asylum migration is a major societal challenge in the Western world affecting residents' policy preferences. We analyze the effects of newly hosting asylum seekers in a given municipality on local citizens' preferences in terms of migratory and redistributive policies as well as of support or opposition to political change in general. Policy preferences are measured based on citizens' actual voting behavior in national referendums in Switzerland between 1987 and 2017. We exploit the administrative placement of asylum seekers across municipalities and find that citizens vote temporarily slightly more restrictively on immigration issues in national referendums and are less supportive of redistribution than before hosting asylum seekers. Citizens are not more likely to vote for the status quo and not more likely to participate per se.

Suggested Citation

  • Zimmermann, Severin & Stutzer, Alois, 2021. "The Consequences of Hosting Asylum Seekers for Citizens' Policy Preferences," IZA Discussion Papers 14159, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp14159
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    Cited by:

    1. Schirner, Sebastian & Hessami, Zohal, 2023. "Migration Shocks, Elections, and Political Selection," VfS Annual Conference 2023 (Regensburg): Growth and the "sociale Frage" 277670, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    2. Fremerey, Melinda & Hörnig, Lukas & Schaffner, Sandra, 2024. "Becoming neighbors with refugees and voting for the far-right? The impact of refugee inflows at the small-scale level," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    3. Müller, Tobias & Pannatier, Pia & Viarengo, Martina, 2023. "Labor market integration, local conditions and inequalities: Evidence from refugees in Switzerland," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    status quo effect; asylum seekers; direct democracy; political preferences; pro-immigration attitudes; redistribution; voter participation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F22 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Migration
    • H53 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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