This paper employs focus group data with Flemish muslim youth to explore how they deal with the visible emergence of ethnic minority representatives (EMRs) in Belgian elected bodies. The focus groups tap into their shared identity experiences and subsequent expectations vis-à-vis EMRs. Using grounded theory to analyse our data, we distinguish three different EMR typologies: those who are autonomous yet loyal to the group, those who are responsive to ethnic/religious issues but perceived as reductive, and those who sell-out to mainstream politics. These typologies challenge approaches presuming the extent to which representatives advance policies responsive to group members’ interests as ideal or desirable.