Beyond Divided Loyalties: How Transnational Family Ties Enhance Political Trust in High-Emigration Countries

Abstract

Existing literature on candidates' transnational background generally associates cross-border ties with weakened political trustworthiness, emphasizing concerns over divided loyalty and reduced commitment to domestic development. This perspective, however, overlooks contexts in which mass emigration has become increasingly common. We argue that in societies characterized by widespread emigration, transnational family ties can instead function as political assets by fostering in-group identification and signalling shared interests with voters who have similar experiences. To test these hypotheses, we conduct a survey experiment among 1782 Venezuelan adults in July 2024. Results confirm that candidates with transnational family ties receive significantly higher trust ratings than those without such connections, and this effect is particularly salient for female candidates. These findings challenge the prevailing ‘political curse’ narrative and lead to a more comprehensive understanding of political trust in societies with high emigration rates.