Introduction
With over 80 million citizens identifying as having a disability across the EU—constituting one of Europe's largest minority groups—their political experiences have remained surprisingly understudied despite practical barriers like inaccessible polling stations and campaign materials being well-documented.
This article examines how socioeconomic factors shape their relationship to politics:
- Data & Methods
Leverages longitudinal data from the European Social Survey (30 nations, 2002–2015).
- Key Findings
People with disabilities display lower levels of political efficacy and trust.
- Internal/external gaps emerge in their political engagement.
- Discrimination paradoxically boosts self-confidence while undermining institutional trust.
- Socioeconomic factors partially explain disparities, but discrimination remains a key barrier.
- Why It Matters
Illuminates a persistent dimension of political inequality requiring further research.
