Progressive Muslim vote explained

The progressive Muslim vote refers to the support that the majority of Muslims make in the West for electoral options of the political left. Different demographic and statistical studies have shown a consistent tendency for Muslims in Western countries to vote for progressive parties, usually social democrats, socialists or social liberals. This is despite the fact that some Western Muslims tend to be socially conservative, and thus opposed to certain issues often supported by the left such as LGBT rights, feminism, and abortion. This phenomenon has been analyzed by different scholars and academics.[1] [2]

Analysis

For some scholars, despite the differences on cultural and moral issues with the left, and the secularism normally associated with it, Muslims as voters are attracted to progressive parties for different reasons:[3]

Rafaela Dancygier from Princeton University mentions that the majority of Muslims in Europe are small business owners and micro-entrepreneurs who would not necessarily agree with left-wing policies such as tax increases and the welfare state, so would normally be akin to conservative center-right parties; the fact that they are not demonstrates the failure of the center-right to attract the Muslim voter out of fear of alienating its Christian base.

Jonathan Lawrence of Boston College, on the other hand, argues that the left's association with Muslims is natural, since in the West, the majority of Muslims are working-class and of low socioeconomic status, and that workers' parties have recognised this. However, another important base of progressive parties is a liberal, secular and progressive middle class who support secularism, LGBT rights and feminism. As these values are not shared by the majority of Muslims, the left struggles to balance these two bases.

Nevertheless, as Lawrence points out, this progressivism is paradoxical and does not extend to their views on politics in the Islamic world itself. Although the majority of voters in the Turkish and Tunisian diaspora supported progressive parties in their countries of residence when they cast their vote, in the elections in Turkey and Tunisia, they mostly supported conservative parties such as Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's Justice and Development Party in Turkey and the Tunisian Ennahda party respectively.

By region

North America

United States

In the United States, the majority of Muslims vote for the Democratic Party.[4] Although the distribution between Democrats and Republicans among the non-black Muslim community in the United States used to be more even, with 50% of Muslims defining themselves as conservative and 30% as liberals, this changed after the September 11 attacks, with the subsequent policies of George W. Bush in the "War on Terror", particularly the Iraq War, being unpopular among Muslims, with only 7% of American Muslims voting for Bush in 2004. The majority of Muslims then voted for Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, and for Hillary Clinton in 2016. By 2018 only 10% of Muslims voted for the Republican Party, despite the party being more socially conservative.

According to initial exit polls, around 69% of Muslims supported Democrat Joe Biden in 2020, although it was a slight decrease from the 82% who supported Hillary Clinton four years prior, despite the fact that many of President Donald Trump's measures were unpopular with Muslims, such as the ban on the entry of immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries and the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.[5] According to a survey conducted by ISPU, most Muslims that voted for Trump identified as White (which until recently was what Arabs fell under in the United States census) and exhibited anti-Muslim sentiment as readily as non-Muslim Trump supporters. More extensive surveys later conducted by YouGov/CCES showed that nearly 84% of Muslims voted for Biden in 2020.[6] Another survey conducted by Emgage/Muslim Public Affairs Council similarly showed a majority of Muslim voters (86%) backing Biden in the 2020 election.[7]

The only Muslim representatives in the United States Congress are from the Democratic Party. As of 2024, no US Senators to date have been Muslim, although Mehmet Oz, Republican nominee for senator from Pennsylvania in 2022, was the first to be nominated by either party.[8] As of 2024, notable Muslim U.S. representatives have included Keith Ellison, André Carson, Ilhan Omar, and Rashida Tlaib.[9] [10] [11] [12]

During the Israel-Hamas war, some leaders of the Muslim American and Arab American communities in Michigan including Abandon Biden Campaign chair Samraa Luqman and Listen to Michigan spokesperson Abbas Alawieh urged their communities to withhold their support for President Biden's re-election campaign during the 2024 Michigan Democratic presidential primary to protest the Biden Administration's perceived support for Israel and lack of support for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.[13] [14] Palestinian American Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib has endorsed the Listen to Michigan campaign. According to the 2020 United States Census, Middle Eastern and North African peoples make up 3.1% of Michigan's population. Michigan has one of the highest concentrations of Muslims in the United States. The Biden campaign has sought to build a broad coalition of support during the lead-up to the 2024 United States presidential election. Due to the efforts of the Listen to Michigan group, over 100,000 voters had voted uncommitted during the Michigan Democratic primary by 28 February 2024.[15] [16] In Dearborn (which has significant Muslim and Arab communities), uncommitted votes accounted for 57% of votes.[17]

Canada

In Canada, the Muslim community votes overwhelmingly for the Liberal and New Democratic parties.[18] In 2011 46% of Muslim Canadians had voted for the Liberals, with 38% for the NDP and only 12% for the Conservatives. This support plummeted to 2% in 2015 when 65% of Muslims voted for the Liberal Party and 10% for the NDP.

Europe

United Kingdom

A 2015 poll showed that 64% of British Muslims voted for the Labour Party, as opposed to 25% who voted Conservative.[19] The Conservative Party has been accused of Islamophobia, an allegation faced especially by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.[20] In 2017, 85% of Muslims voted for the Labour Party and only 11% for the Conservatives. Notable figures in British politics who are Muslim include Sadiq Khan (Labour), Mayor of London,[21] and Humza Yousaf (Scottish National Party), First Minister of Scotland.[22]

During the Israel-Hamas war, the Labour Party faced criticism from British Muslim supporters after party leader Keir Starmer refused to support an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. In November 2023, eight Labour MPs including three British Muslims including Afzal Khan, Yasmin Qureshi, and Naz Shah resigned their frontbench positions in protest of the leadership's stance. 56 Labour MPs subsequently supported an unsuccessful Scottish National Party (SNP) amendment calling for a ceasefire to the conflict.[23] That same month, a Savanta snapshot poll found that 41% of Muslim voters felt negative about Labour since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.[24]

In late January 2024, The Guardian reported that Starmer's office had begun polling and holding focus groups among British Muslim voters after senior party officials expressed concern that Labour was losing the support of Muslim constituents.[25] In addition, a new website called "The Muslim Vote" was launched to mobilise British Muslim voters during the 2024 United Kingdom general election and encourage them to support MPs who supported an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during the November 2023 vote.[26]

In February 2024, polling conducted by polling company Survation indicated that Labour's support among Muslim voters had declined by 26 points to 80%. The Survation poll also found that only 60% of British Muslim voters who had supported Labour during the 2019 United Kingdom general election were willing to vote for the party again at the next general election and that 85% of Muslim voters would vote for parties based on their position on the Israel Gaza war. The Labour Muslim Network condemned the party's response to the Israel-Hamas war and warned that Muslim voters "will not support any political party that does not fervently oppose the crimes committed against the people of Gaza." Several Muslim Labour councillors in Oxford, Burnley, Blackburn and Walsall resigned, threatening Labour control of several local councils. Labour also encountered challenges in several electorates with significant Muslim populations including Rochdale, Ilford North, and the London borough of Newham.

Former Labour MP and left-wing politician George Galloway has also appealed to Muslim voters in Rochdale by capitalising on their dissatisfaction with the party's Gaza stance. On 29 February 2024, Galloway won the 2024 Rochdale by-election with 40% of the vote. During his victory speech, Galloway accused Starmer of enabling the "catastrophe" in Gaza.[27]

France

86% of French Muslims supported Socialist Party candidate François Hollande in 2012. The Muslim support for both Hollande and later Benoît Hamon alongside left-wing candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon is also in the majority with only 15% supporting right-wing candidates. In the first round of the 2022 French presidential election, around 69% of French Muslims voted for Mélenchon.[28] [29] Notably, Mélenchon was the only major presidential candidate to consistently denounce Islamophobia and discrimination against Muslims.

Germany

Among Muslims in Germany a 2016 study by the Experts Council on Immigration and Integration found that the majority of Turkish Germans were aligned with left-wing parties. The SPD had the backing of 41%, the CDU had 27%, the Greens 13%, The Left 13%, and others 7%. Among non-Turkish Muslims, support for the CDU/CSU was 40%, the Social Democrats 27%, the Greens 13%, the Left 9%, and others 9%.[30]

The Netherlands

Muslims in the Netherlands tended to vote for the Labour Party until recently. When three Muslim Members of Parliament quit the Labour Party in 2015 and founded the party Denk, the Labour Party saw a reduction on its support.

Sweden

In Sweden, around 70-75% of Swedish Muslims are estimated to support the Social Democrats, whilst 10-15% support other parties of the red–green alliance.

Asia and Oceania

India

Indian Muslims tend to vote more frequently for the center-left Indian National Congress and its allies, with 43% of support as of 2019.[31] The biggest support came from Assam with 99% of Muslims voting for the INC, and the smallest from West Bengal where it was 15%. Only 8% of Muslims voted for the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party in 2019, though it was 1% more than in the last election.[32] [33]

Israel

In Israel, most Arab parties are classified as left-leaning. Of the Joint List, the major coalition of Arab parties, its members are classified as left-wing; Balad, Hadash and Ta'al with former member United Arab List being described as big tent, with some socially conservative and Islamist factions. In 2015, The Joint List received 82% of Arab Israeli support[34] followed by social democratic Zionist Union with 22% and Likud with 15%.

Australia

In Australia, Muslims tend to vote for the centre-left Labor Party.[35] Younger generations of Australian Muslims tend to also vote for the smaller left-wing parties, notable the Greens.[36]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Laitin, David. The European Left's Wary Embrace of Muslim Voters. immigrationlab.org. 22 November 2020. 29 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201129143951/https://immigrationlab.org/2017/09/15/the-european-lefts-wary-embrace-of-muslim-voters/. live.
  2. Web site: Laurence. Jonathan. Islam and Social Democrats: Integrating Europe's Muslim Minorities. 2013. 22 November 2020. Dissent Magazine. 28 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201128054042/https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/islam-and-social-democrats. live.
  3. News: Olsen . Henry . How the Muslim Left is shaping the future of the western Left . Unheard . April 10, 2018 . November 23, 2020 . December 1, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201201021248/https://unherd.com/2018/04/muslim-left-shaping-future-western-left/?fbclid=IwAR0PuRrRhdZL8gczMIfKrvuTH69Ro4QXOSOTDexAEkvnCdwGJbDEp84sB1A . live .
  4. Web site: Ozalp . Mehmet . Who will Muslim Americans vote for in the US elections? . . 27 October 2020 . 22 November 2020 . 26 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201126220248/https://theconversation.com/who-will-muslim-americans-vote-for-in-the-us-elections-146854 . live .
  5. News: 4 December 2020 . Majority Of Muslims Voted For Biden, But Trump Got More Support Than He Did In 2016 . en . NPR.org . 2022-04-23 . 2022-04-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220424001456/https://www.npr.org/2020/12/04/942262760/majority-of-muslims-voted-for-biden-but-trump-got-more-not-less-support . live .
  6. Web site: Burge. Ryan. 2021-03-31. The 2020 Vote for President by Religious Groups – Other Faith. 2022-02-15. Religion in Public. en. 2022-02-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20220215045103/https://religioninpublic.blog/2021/03/31/the-2020-vote-for-president-by-religious-groups-other-faith/. live.
  7. Web site: 2021-10-15. New poll reveals how much we presume about Muslim Americans' politics. 2022-02-15. Religion News Service. en-US. 2022-02-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20220215045102/https://religionnews.com/2021/10/15/new-poll-reveals-how-much-we-presume-about-muslim-americans-politics/. live.
  8. News: Gabriel. Trip. David McCormick Concedes to Dr. Oz in Pennsylvania GOP Senate Primary. The New York Times. June 3, 2022. March 3, 2024. June 11, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220611080649/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/03/us/elections/pennsylvania-senate-oz-mccormick.html/. live.
  9. News: Lohn . Martiga . Islamic Convert Wins House Nomination . . . 2006-09-14 . 2018-08-19 . 2020-12-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201219053354/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/13/AR2006091302297.html . live .
  10. News: Garsd. Jasmine. Rep. André Carson To Become First Muslim On House Committee On Intelligence. NPR. 13 January 2013. 3 March 2024. 24 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221024102321/https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/01/13/376998473/congressman-andr-carson-to-become-first-muslim-on-house-committee-on-intelligence. live.
  11. News: Golden . Erin . November 7, 2018 . Ilhan Omar makes history, becoming first Somali-American elected to U.S. House . Star Tribune . Minneapolis, Minn. . https://web.archive.org/web/20190202211254/http://www.startribune.com/ilhan-omar-becomes-first-somali-american-elected-u-s-house/499708271/ . February 2, 2019.
  12. News: Astead W. . Herndon . Rashida Tlaib, With Primary Win, Is Poised to Become First Muslim Woman in Congress . . August 8, 2018 . November 9, 2018 . November 5, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181105131900/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/08/us/politics/rashida-tlaib-congress-muslim.html . live .
  13. News: Meyers . Elle . Michigan Arab American and Muslim leaders urging community to vote against Joe Biden in primary . February 26, 2024 . . February 23, 2024 . February 26, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240226010223/https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/michigan-arab-american-and-muslim-leaders-urging-community-to-vote-against-joe-biden-in-primary/ . live .
  14. News: Jackson . Colin . Arab Americans in Michigan see primary ballots as a tool for building political power . February 26, 2024 . . February 23, 2024 . February 26, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240226010223/https://www.npr.org/2024/02/23/1233344198/arab-americans-in-michigan-see-primary-ballots-as-a-tool-for-building-political- . live .
  15. News: Herman . Alice . Laughland . Oliver . Biden wins Michigan primary but sheds support over Gaza . March 3, 2024 . . February 28, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240302172001/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/feb/27/biden-wins-michigan-primary-election . 2 March 2024.
  16. News: Marcetic . Branco . Michigan’s Primary Shows Biden Is Courting Political Suicide . March 3, 2024 . . February 28, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240303004713/https://jacobin.com/2024/02/michigan-primary-uncommitted-joe-biden-gaza . March 3, 2024.
  17. News: Hendrickson . Clara . Warikoo . Niraj . 'Uncommitted' trounces Biden in Dearborn presidential primary . March 3, 2024 . . February 28, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240302132830/https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2024/02/28/uncommitted-beating-biden-in-dearborn-with-most-votes-in/72768534007/. March 2, 2024.
  18. News: Grener . Eric . Liberals won over Muslims by huge margin in 2015, poll suggests . . April 29, 2016 . November 23, 2020 . November 12, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112011903/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/grenier-environics-muslims-politics-1.3555216 . live .
  19. Web site: Power of the Muslim vote and Muslim voting patterns. mend.org.uk. 2020-11-22. 2020-11-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20201111201448/https://www.mend.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Power-of-the-Muslim-vote-and-Muslim-voting-patterns.pdf. live.
  20. Hussain. Musharraf. British Muslims Can Swing the U.K. Election, But Only If They Get Out and Vote. 22 November 2020. Time. 21 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201021194007/https://time.com/5731406/british-election-muslim-vote/. live.
  21. Web site: Sadiq Khan's victory won't end Islamophobia, but it offers hope. The Guardian. Homa Khaleeli. 7 May 2016. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170204052217/https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/may/06/sadiq-khan-victory-islamophobia-mayor-london. 4 February 2017. dmy-all.
  22. Web site: Humza Yousaf elected by MSPs as Scotland's new first minister . 29 March 2023 . . en . 29 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230329032210/https://news.sky.com/story/humza-yousaf-elected-by-msps-as-scotlands-new-first-minister-12844090 . live.
  23. News: Adu . Aletha . Stacey . Kiran . Dozens of Labour MPs defy Keir Starmer to vote for ceasefire in Gaza . 26 February 2024 . . 15 November 2023 . 16 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231116230714/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/nov/15/commons-gaza-vote-labour-defy-starmer-ceasefire-israel . live .
  24. News: Shackle . Samira . In a London borough home to many Muslims, Labour loses appeal over Gaza . 26 February 2024 . . 15 February 2024 . 25 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240225220434/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/15/in-a-london-borough-home-to-many-muslims-labour-loses-appeal-over-gaza . live .
  25. News: Labour acts on fears Muslims will not vote for party over Gaza stance . 26 February 2024 . . 30 January 2024 . 26 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240226023600/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/jan/30/labour-acts-on-fears-muslims-will-not-vote-for-party-over-gaza-stance . live .
  26. News: Philpot . Robert . UK's Labour faces Muslim bloc in revolt, anti-Israel challenger in special election . 26 February 2024 . . 17 February 2023 . 26 February 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240226025103/https://www.timesofisrael.com/uks-labour-faces-muslim-bloc-in-revolt-anti-israel-challenger-in-special-election/ . live .
  27. News: Halliday . Josh . Ahmed . Aneesa . ‘This is for Gaza’: George Galloway sweeps to victory in Rochdale byelection . 3 March 2024 . . 1 March 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240301225335/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/mar/01/george-galloway-wins-rochdale-byelection . 1 March 2024. live.
  28. News: Onishi . Norimitsu . Alami . Aida . 2022-04-22 . For France's Muslims, a Choice Between Lesser Evils in Presidential Vote . en-US . . 2022-04-24 . 0362-4331 . 2022-04-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220424002825/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/22/world/europe/france-muslims-presidential-vote.html . live .
  29. Web site: April 15, 2022 . Le port du voile, sujet qui divise la France et les deux finalistes de la présidentielle . 2022-05-10 . VOA . fr . 2022-05-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220510072618/https://www.voaafrique.com/a/le-port-du-voile-sujet-qui-divise-la-france-et-les-deux-finalistes-de-la-pr%C3%A9sidentielle/6531236.html . live .
  30. News: Topcu. Canan. Calling all Muslim voters: "Won′t vote" won′t wash. 22 November 2020. Qantara. 29 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201129202027/https://en.qantara.de/content/germanys-general-election-calling-all-muslim-voters-wont-vote-wont-wash. live.
  31. News: Ahmed . Hilal . BJP is emerging as second-most preferred political choice for Muslim voters in India . 20 December 2020 . . 24 April 2019.
  32. News: Kumar . Sanjay . Gupta . Pranav . Where did the BJP get its votes from in 2019? . 20 December 2020 . Mint . 3 June 2019 . 17 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201217130426/https://www.livemint.com/politics/news/where-did-the-bjp-get-its-votes-from-in-2019-1559547933995.html . live .
  33. News: Kumar . Sanjay . Who did India's Muslims vote for in general election? . 20 December 2020 . . 30 May 2014 . 21 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201121142708/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-27615592 . live .
  34. News: Ben Solomon . Ariel . Arab sector turnout for recent elections reached 63.5%, polling data shows . 26 February 2024 . . 24 March 2015 . 6 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200706175416/https://www.jpost.com/israel-elections/arab-sector-turnout-for-recent-elections-reached-635-percent-polling-data-shows-394878 . live .
  35. https://library.bsl.org.au/jspui/bitstream/1/2182/1/political-participation-muslims.pdf Political Participation of Muslims in Australia
  36. Web site: Rachwani . Mostafa . 2022-05-18 . 'Taken for granted': western Sydney's Muslim community rethinks a fractured Labor relationship . 2022-06-24 . . en . 2022-06-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220624211733/https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/may/19/taken-for-granted-western-sydneys-muslim-community-rethinks-a-fractured-labor-relationship . live .

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