Why Not Ask the Representatives? Parliamentary Candidates’ Attitudes Towards Immigrant Representation in Germany

Although a large number of normative and empirical scholars are dealing with the question whether descriptive representation is required for a functioning representational relationship and which groups need descriptive representatives to be politically represented, the debate is not without relevance. Since parliamentary candidates are key figures in the representational process of parliamentary democracies, their views on descriptive representation can provide revealing evidence in assessing the relevance of descriptive representation. By studying candidates’ attitudes towards immigrant representation, this contribution attempts to enhance our understanding of whether they consider immigrant representation important and what shapes candidates’ attitudes towards immigrant representation.