No representation without taxation: Which political parties support contributivism and how?

Contributivism refers to the principle of conditioning rights to political participation on economic and other contributions. Access to citizenship and voting rights for immigrants often requires ‘doing something for’ the host society, which is usually measured in material terms. The limited research on ‘contributivism’ to date has focused on laws, norms, and public opinion. Little is known about the politics of contributivism, the positions of different parties, and the reasons for supporting or opposing it. This article analyses parliamentary debates on voting and citizenship rights in four European countries – Italy, UK, France, and Germany – since 2010 to identify the different interpretations that European legislators attach to the concept of ‘contributivism’. The discourse analysis reveals that a range of contributions are identified as prerequisites for participation: economic contributions, such as tax and pension payments, knowledge, and labour skills; social contributions, such as boosting demographic growth; civic contributions, such as voluntary work; and symbolic contributions, such as winning Olympic medals. The findings indicate that contributivist frames are typically advanced by centre-left and progressive parties to justify extending the franchise to immigrants, and are often contrasted with ethno-identitarian views of citizenship. Consequently, this study suggests a shift towards pragmatist arguments and reciprocity-based understandings of contributivism among centre-left parties.