IMMIGRANTS IN THE POLITICAL-PROCESS

Immigrants, who comprise a growing group in many European countries, a re usually underrepresented in the political process. Sweden's immigra nt policy, with its far-reaching social and political rights, liberal citizenship laws and respect for cultural differences, is often regard ed as an exemplary model of how to integrate immigrants in society. Th e 1975 electoral reform in Sweden gave immigrants the opportunity to b ecome active in the democratic process by allowing foreign citizens to vote in local political elections. This article examines the politica l and organizational participation of immigrants. The findings indicat e widespread and significant exclusion and under-representation of imm igrants in political and organizational life. We argue that immigrant political participation is best understood in terms of a tension betwe en individual characteristics and institutional and organizational fac tors. In particular, the long-term exclusion of large numbers of immig rants from labor related organizations is shown to be an important obs tacle to their further social and political participation.