Authors
Margarita Zavadskaya1; Ivetta Sergeeva2; Emil Kamalov2; 1 Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA), Finland; 2 European University Institute, Italy Discussion
Can citizens participate in their home country politics even after migration to another country? There are many examples of migrants’ involvement in countries of origin political affairs, including such practices as expatriate voting, organizing political communities and home town associations, donating money to political movements and politicians, advocating for migrants’ rights, and other possible forms of political participation. What is not clear is why migrants are willing to continue to exercise their voice after their exit? What strategies of their voice exercising do migrants choose and why? What are the main challenges and obstacles for the migrants to exercise their voice abroad? The questions are becoming more intriguing if migration from a repressive regime takes place. How does previous political experience in an authoritarian state affect migrants’ practices of voice exercising? Will the new migrants form alternative civic associations or will they prefer to cut ties with their homeland and start life from scratch? In this chapter, we rely on the “voice, exit, and loyalty” metaphor and emerging theories of migrants' political behavior to analyze the dynamic and political potential of the most recent wave of Russian emigrants, who fled Russia in the aftermath of invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Drawing on Albert Hirschman’s framework, we understand exit and voice as not mutually exclusive but rather mutually reinforcing alternatives. 
