The political representation gap between immigrants and natives persists across democratic parliaments.

We surveyed elected politicians, candidates for local office, and residents who have not run for office in Sweden — stratifying samples by immigrant status. This innovative case-control survey linked respondents to local political opportunity structures.

### Key Findings

• Political ambition doesn't vary significantly between immigrants and natives
• Differences in interest or efficacy cannot account for the underrepresentation gap
• Major barriers exist at the candidate selection stage rather than supply of potential candidates

### Why This Matters

Our findings suggest political elites play a decisive role in hindering immigrant representation through gatekeeping mechanisms, despite ample candidate interest.