Capital Utilization of Incumbent Female Politicians (Case Study: Victory of Female Politicians in Three Legislative Election Periods in the Semarang Regency)

Abstract

This article examines the capital utilization of two female politicians who have successfully maintained their positions for three consecutive terms in the Semarang Regency People's Representative Council (Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Daerah/DPRD). Periodically, the election results indicate a continued decline in the representation of women in the DPRD of Semarang Regency. Despite this, the two incumbent politicians in this article managed to retain their positions. This study uses a descriptive qualitative method, with data collection through in-depth interviews with two incumbent female politicians and several other informants, such as members of political parties, campaign teams, and voters. The findings in this study reveal that political capital, social capital, and economic capital play an important role in the victory of incumbent female politicians. This study also revealed that, despite the strong political and social capital of these two female politicians during their second and third terms, these factors did not diminish their need for economic capital to win the election.