‘The newcomer effect’: Gender quotas, state reforms and service responsiveness in local councils

Abstract

AbstractThe global spread of gender quotas has led to a burgeoning literature examining gender differences in the responsiveness of national representatives. In this study, I shifted the attention from national to local representatives, and investigated service responsiveness in the local councils of Albania following the implementation of gender quotas in 2015, a policy change that has led to a substantial number of women newcomers in local councils. Using data from the transcripts of 75 council meetings held during August–December 2016 and 2018 in 11 councils, I show that over time women have shifted their attention from education to social welfare, a change occurring amid the implementation of a new government programme seeking to address the failure of social welfare reform in the country. The study advances our understanding of women's political representation and service responsiveness in an understudied region, demonstrating that women prioritise services that benefit the poor and disadvantaged groups.