Democracy Matters (To Some Extent)

Autocracies, Democracies and the Forced Return of Migrants from the EU

Bibliographic Data

ID3948261
AuthorsPhilipp Stutz (0000-0001-6341-476X, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, corresponding author), Florian Trauner (0000-0001-5044-6818, Vrije Universiteit Brussel)
Year2025
Volume30
Issue2
Pages704-729
Publication date2025-03-15
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueGeopolitics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1465-0045 • E-ISSN: 1557-3028
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14650045.2024.2382460
OpenAlexW4400921125
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited62

This article analyses whether the European Union returns more irregular migrants to democratic or autocratic states. It establishes the EU’s return rates with the whole world over a period of twelve years (2008–2019) and connects it to non-EU countries’ democratic credentials. Democracy mattered to some extent in the sense that the EU had generally fewer return orders and higher return rates with democratic states. Yet, a macro perspective indicates that the EU was driven by an interest to maximise returns to non-EU countries, irrespective of the regime type. Some autocratic regimes – and those that became more autocratic – had high return rates and were actively targeted for achieving more returns. A non-EU country’s change towards more or less democratic standards had a comparatively minor likelihood of impacting the EU return rate

Autocracy · Democracy · Development economics · Economic system · Economics · Political economy · Political science · Politics · European Union Policy and Governance · Law · Migration, Refugees, and Integration · Social Policy and Reform Studies

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