Migrant advocacy in Brussels: The role of Members of the European Parliament with migratory backgrounds

• Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies
• MPC: Migration Policy Centre

Has the rise in Members of the European Parliament with a migratory background translated into greater advocacy for migrants’ rights in the European Parliament?

The attention dedicated to migration in the European Parliament (EP) has significantly increased over the years, reflecting both the assembly's growing policy powers and the issue's increasing salience for European public opinion. A fundamental question remains: Is the voice of migrants truly heard in the European representative assembly? It is widely argued that members of disadvantaged and discriminated minorities achieve better substantive representation when elected officials share their social background.

This argument rests on the premise that parliamentarians with direct experience of minority discrimination are assumed to be more likely to champion the interests of their group, suggesting that descriptive representation fosters substantive representation. In the European context, first- and second-generation migrants face frequent discrimination and are notably underrepresented in political institutions. Despite this, the number of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) with a migratory background has incrementally increased over the last two legislative periods.

Leveraging an original dataset compiled within the EUQuest project, this seminar will address whether the rise in MEPs with a migratory background has translated into greater advocacy for migrants' rights in the EP. The analysis examines committee assignments and the content of parliamentary questions during the 8th and 9th legislative periods (2014–2024), utilising a mixed-methods design that combines quantitative analysis with qualitative explorations.

The findings demonstrate that MEPs with a migratory origin are significantly more likely than their colleagues to be assigned to the committee addressing migration and discrimination issues, consequently making them more likely to scrutinise the European Commission on these topics. However, qualitative analysis reveals a nuanced reality: speaking about migration is not synonymous with speaking for migrants. Ultimately, partisanship and personal experiences emerge as powerful factors shaping the political stance of MEPs, even those with a migratory background.