The Consequences of Quotas: Assessing the Effect of Varied Gender Quotas on Legislator Experience in the European Parliament

Andrea S Aldrich,William T Daniel

doi:10.1017/s1743923x19000291

Andrea S Aldrich, William T Daniel

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1017/s1743923x19000291

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Journal: Politics & Gender	Publication Date: Jun 20, 2019
Citations: 10	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: University of Nottingham, Yale University

Abstract

AbstractThis article explores the consequences of quotas on the level of diversity observed in legislators’ professional and political experience. We examine how party system and electoral system features that are meant to favor female representation, such as gender quotas for candidate selection or placement mandates on electoral lists, affect the composition of legislatures by altering the mix of professional and political qualifications held by its members. Using data collected for all legislators initially seated to the current session of the European Parliament, one of the largest and most diverse democratically elected legislatures in the world, we find that quotas eliminate gendered differences in experience within the institution, particularly when used in conjunction with placement mandates that ensure female candidates are featured on electoral lists in viable positions. Electoral institutions can generally help to “level the playing field” between the backgrounds of men and women in elected office while increasing the presence of desirable qualities among European Parliament representatives of both genders.

Highlights

Scholars link increases in the descriptive representation of diverse backgrounds with positive outcomes for representation, writ large
This variable takes three values, 0 in countries where no quotas exists, 1 in countries where simple quotas exist that require no specific placement of women on electoral lists, and 2 for countries where placement mandates exist.iii In keeping with our hypotheses, the expectation is that higher values of the quota index will correspond with a heightened presence of experience and expertise
In order to capture the gendered nature of the national political environment, we use three measures that address the general level of gender equality in each European Union (EU) member state: Women with Degree, which measures the percentage of women per 100 men with an advanced education in each member state,v Women in National Parliament, which provides the percentage of each national legislature that is female,vi and Gender Equality Index

Summary

Introduction

Scholars link increases in the descriptive representation of diverse backgrounds with positive outcomes for representation, writ large. Fortin-Rittberger and Rittberger (2015) examine women’s recruitment to the EP during the 2009 elections and find that female MEPs benefit from recruitment strategies that allow for centralized party selection mechanisms at a mix of regional and national levels In other work, they find that women are more likely to win election to the EP when they come from countries or parties that employ gender quotas, are nominated to closed lists, and come from districts with greater numbers of MEPs (Fortin-Rittberger and Rittberger 2014; Lühiste 2015).

First Cut

Explanations for Women’s Representation

Conclusion