(Gender) balancing the books

How did Irish political parties respond to the first ‘gender quota’ election in 2016

Dados Bibliográficos

ID6074400
AutoresMack Mariani (0000-0003-1996-3694, Xavier University, Political Science, Cincinnati, OH, USA), Fiona Buckley (0000-0002-9411-5081, University College Cork, Government & Politics, Cork, Ireland, autor correspondente), Claire Mcging (0000-0001-5613-759X, Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology), A L Wright (0000-0002-5859-2681, Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris), Austin Wright (Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris)
Ano2021
Volume36
Fascículo2
Páginas235-262
Data de publicação2021-04-03
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoIrish Political Studies (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0790-7184 • E-ISSN: 1743-9078
EditoraInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/07907184.2020.1828365
OpenAlexW3101103607
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas7
Referências citadas54

This study examines how Ireland’s political parties responded to the implementation of legislative gender quotas for the first time at the 2016 Dáil election. Using a dataset that includes biographical and electoral information on all candidates for the 2007, 2011 and 2016 general elections, we assess whether the profile of candidates nominated in 2016 differed from previous elections. Although many parties ‘balanced the books’ by nominating fewer inexperienced male candidates, the evidence suggests that some parties engaged in ‘sacrificial lamb’ strategies when it came to the selection of women candidates. In 2016, women non-incumbents nominated by Fine Gael were significantly less experienced and less able to raise funds than in previous elections. In addition, women non-incumbents nominated by both Fine Gael and Labour in 2016 were significantly more likely to run non-competitive races even after controlling for party, experience, funding support and other factors. The paper concludes that political parties are not homogenous and respond differently to gender quotas depending on the available political opportunity structure (POS). In 2016, this POS was shaped by electoral context, party resources, male incumbency and resistance to gender quotas

Demographic economics · Economics · Gender gap · General election · Irish · Labour economics · Legislature · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Gender Politics and Representation · Irish and British Studies · Law · Public Administration