The Electoral Consequences of Algerian Decolonization in France

• In Event: The Political Preferences of Immigrants and Foreigners

Abstract

In 1962, Algeria achieved its independence from France. This event prompted the return to the Metropole of one million French citizens who had resided in Algeria for more than a century, known as the “Pieds Noirs”. The economic and social consequences of the repatriation to France of these voters generated great animosity toward the central government that affected their electoral behavior. In this regard, this was not only a demographic or economic phenomenon but a potent political catalyst. Among the one million Pieds Noirs, 40,000 migrant citizens chose to settle in the city of Nice, leading to a 20% population surge virtually overnight. The city transitioned from a pivotal political arena to a radical right stronghold, anti-Gaullist in nature, making Nice one of today's main electoral bastions for the French Far-Right.

Using historical municipal-level data, this paper tests the existence of a link between this transformation in Nice's electoral identity and the mass immigration of Pieds Noirs using Causal Inference. Our findings extend beyond the specific case of this city, delving into the often-overlooked electoral repercussions of colonialism on the voters of the former colonial state and the influence of immigration on voting behavior.

Authors

• Maxime Borg

• Rebeca Gonzalez Antuña, European University Institute