Why are there differences in the political representation of women in the 27 countries of the European Union?

Abstract

Although there have been many studies that address the representation of women in parliament, few explore gender representation in the 27 countries of the European Union. Prior research on women's representation conducted in different areas of the world has emphasized the type of electoral system, quotas, the economic affluence of a country, the timing of women's suffrage, as well as the political culture. In this evaluation these commonly used indicators are complemented by two factors that are not frequently employed – the percentage of women in managerial positions and the political ideology of parliamentary parties. This cross-national analysis reveals that the electoral system type, the number of women in managerial positions and the years women have had the right to vote are the most important factors in determining women's representation.