Mr. Rossi, Mr. Hu and politics. The role of immigration in shaping natives' voting behavior

• We study the effect of immigration in shaping native's voting behavior using Italian municipality-level data
• We find that immigration generates a sizable causal increase in votes for the centre-right coalition on national elections
• The effect is heterogeneous across municipalities with different sizes
• The relationship between immigration and electoral gains percolates to mayoral election at the municipality level
• Cultural diversity, competition in the labor market and for public services are the most relevant channels at work

Using Italian municipality-level data on national elections and IV estimation strategy, we find that immigration generates a sizable causal increase in votes for the center-right coalition, which has a political platform less favorable to immigrants. Additional findings are: (i) the effect is heterogeneous across municipalities with different sizes; (ii) the gain in votes for the center-right coalition corresponds to a loss of votes for the center and center-left parties, a decrease in voter turnout, and a rise in protest votes; (iii) the relationship between immigration and electoral gains percolates to mayoral election at the municipality level; (iv) cultural diversity, competition in the labor market and for public services, and political competition are the most relevant channels at work.