Islam, Origin Countries, and Democracy Satisfaction Among Immigrants in Western Europe

This study posits that democracy satisfaction among foreign-born Muslims in Western Europe stems in large part from their pre-migration experiences: because most Muslims originate from less democratic, more corrupt, and less economically developed countries, they are more satisfied with the way democracy works in their host country than other immigrants. Moreover, Muslims from Muslim-minority origin countries are more satisfied with democracy than Muslims from Muslim-majority states, particularly if they came from highly authoritarian or corrupt regimes. Using individual-level information collected as part of the European Social Survey (ESS) 5–10 round data (2010–2022), the empirical analyses support these expectations. These findings have important implications for debates on Muslim immigrant political integration and the prospects of democratic legitimacy in Western Europe.