Representation of the unenfranchised: The parliamentary representation of EU citizens in the UK after Brexit

Abstract Parliamentary democracies are increasingly characterized by diverse constituencies with high levels of net migration. With the rise of anti-migrant sentiment, the question of how migrant communities are able to secure representation, despite their limited voting rights, has become an increasingly important question for representation scholars. We use the case study of EU citizens in the UK after 2019 to explore three different channels for unenfranchised migrants to secure representation—direct representation, mediated selection, and surrogate representation. Drawing on thirty-one interviews with MPs and their staff, combined with statistical analysis of Written Parliamentary Questions in the 2019–2024 parliament, we conclude that, while voting rights are preferable, unenfranchised groups are still able to access some form of parliamentary representation. MPs are both directly responsive to EU constituents’ interests in their behaviour, and the presence of EU citizens increases the likelihood of voters selecting pro-EU candidates. However, most of the representative activity comes from MPs who are already engaged in parliamentary policy networks on immigration and migrant rights.