41 Who prefers politicians with whom they share the same religion, migration background and gender and why? The exploration into preferences for politicians who share the same religion, migration background, and gender hinges on the relationship between in-group favoritism, heuristics theory and political representation. My in-depth research unveils that shared religious identity holds significant sway in voting citizens’ preferences, while similarities in migration background or gender exert limited influence. This preference is notably prominent among non-religious majority voting citizens who exhibit a heightened inclination towards identity-based politics, but is almost equally visible amongst Muslim citizens, particularly in the Netherlands. This intriguing pattern indicates that while shared religious identity plays a pivotal role for voting citizens in general, Muslim voting citizens might engage in a more wary evaluation of candidates, potentially influenced by factors beyond religious alignment. By deciphering the motivations behind these preferences, the research not only contributes to understanding the role of shared identity in voter decision-making but also sheds light on the dynamics underlying political representation within diverse societies. This dissertation presents a significant contribution to representation theory, social identity theory, and heuristics theory. My research extends beyond conceptual and normative debates on representation to explore in-group voting within minority communities. The incorporation of Social Identity Theory provides a useful lens to understand the dynamics between voter identities, strategies for positive distinctiveness, and in-group favoritism. Additionally, the application of heuristics theory unveils the influence of identity-based cues on voter decision-making processes, for both ingroups and out-groups. By fusing these theoretical underpinnings, the study offers a holistic understanding of voter behavior and perceptions, bridging the gap between representation, identity, and heuristic cues. This dissertation underscores the nature of voting for in-group politicians, complicates the straightforward assumption that minorities vote for in-group politicians and highlights the dynamics underpinning contemporary political landscapes and representative democracies.
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