Does direct democracy hurt immigrant minorities? Evidence from naturalization decisions in Switzerland
Jens Hainmueller,Dominik Hangartner — Does direct democracy hurt immigrant minorities? Evidence from naturalization decisions in Switzerland (2019)Jens Hainmueller; Dominik Hangartner · 2019 · Article · AbstractEstablishedSource attached · not independently reviewedCLM-0831 · as of 2026-10-27 · about: Initiative and referendum · Author: Polity Atlas editorial team
“When Federal Court rulings forced Swiss municipalities to move naturalisation decisions from popular votes to elected councils, naturalisation rates rose by about 60%, with larger increases for more marginalised immigrant groups.”
Context. Panel of about 1,400 municipalities, 1991-2009; the authors attribute the effect to councils' duty to justify rejections and to judicial review.
Evidence that supports
1Evidence that contradicts
0No counter-evidence recorded.
Context
Who gets a Swiss passport? A natural experiment in immigrant discrimination
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