ethnic minorities

• Describe why ethnic minorities may feel underrepresented in parliment - racism

  One reason why ethnic minorities may be underrepresented could

  be due to racism.

  Racism may limit the number of candidates picked

  for an election but it can also put people off getting involved in the

  first place because of the abuse they can face.

  For example, the only 2 MSPs in the 2016-2020 parliament, Anas Sarwar and Humza Yousaf, gave an interview to the BBC talking about how racism and Islamophobia have been getting worse and they regularly receive violent death threats.
• Describe why ethnic minorities may feel underrepresented in parliment - lack of role models


  Another reason why ethnic minorities may be underrepresented

  could be due to having a lack of role models.

  To those groups who have been marginalised. if they do not see people like them in politics then it can be very off putting. They may be less likely to join political parties as they might feel the policies of the main parties do little to help them.

  For example, there were only ever 4 MSPs who are from an ethnic minority group in the first 20 years of the Scottish Parliament.
• Describe why ethnic minorities may feel underrepresented in parliment - incumbency effect


  A final reason why ethnic minorities may be underrepresented

  might be because the incumbency effect.

  The incumbency effect is where it is easier for people who are in

  power to stay in power because they can use their position to help

  them get re-elected. Elected MSPs have a lot of media exposure

  and tax-payer funded help to do their job, so they are more well

  known.

  For example it took over 20 years for Kaukab Stewart to become one of the first ethnic minority woman to be elected to parliament.