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Personalism or party platform? Gender quotas and women’s representation under different electoral system orientations

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  • Aliza Forman-Rabinovici
  • Lilach Nir

Abstract

Underrepresentation of women in politics is a matter of great concern to social scientists, citizens, and policymakers alike. Despite effort over the past decade to ameliorate it with gender quotas of different types, scientific research provides a mixed picture on the extent to which quotas can close these gender gaps under different conditions. We approach this puzzle by focusing on the orientation of electoral systems—candidate-centered vs. platform-centered—as a context that conditions the effect of quotas on representation. Our analyses of 76 countries’ electoral rules and legislatures show that contrary to expectations, it is in candidate-oriented systems that quotas facilitate stronger effect on women’s representation. Even after considering proportional representation, district magnitude, human development, or labor-force participation as alternative explanations, we show that quotas foster greater increases in gender representation in candidate-oriented systems. The broader implications are that in electoral systems that tend to have larger gender gaps, quotas have a substantial contribution to equal representation.

Suggested Citation

  • Aliza Forman-Rabinovici & Lilach Nir, 2021. "Personalism or party platform? Gender quotas and women’s representation under different electoral system orientations," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(9), pages 1-14, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0257665
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257665
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mona Lena Krook, 2010. "Women's Representation in Parliament: A Qualitative Comparative Analysis," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 58(5), pages 886-908, December.
    2. Mona Lena Krook, 2010. "Women's Representation in Parliament: A Qualitative Comparative Analysis," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 58, pages 886-908, December.
    3. Christina Wolbrecht & David E. Campbell, 2007. "Leading by Example: Female Members of Parliament as Political Role Models," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 51(4), pages 921-939, October.
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