Explaining Gender Parity Representation in Spain

The Internal Dynamics of Parties

Bibliographic Data

ID6407068
AuthorsMonica Threlfall (Loughborough University, corresponding author)
Year2007
Volume30
Issue5
Pages1068-1095
Publication date2007-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueWest European Politics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0140-2382 • E-ISSN: 1743-9655
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/01402380701617464
OpenAlexW2065050604
LanguageEN
Citations received20
References cited36

This paper sheds light on the reasons for the sudden rise of women in party politics and political representation in Spain. Structural explanations and the conditioning influence of the electoral system are reviewed before focusing on institutional and party-political explanations. It argues that the key factor in explaining this rise is not just the adoption of rules on the gender parity representation, but the intra-party politics that allows for effective implementation of such rules. Using insights into the internal dynamics of the PSOE gained from extensive field observations and interviews, it argues that high levels of female representation were secured via internal party procedures, coupled with political backing from the party leadership. The paper therefore takes the discussion on women’ participation in representative politics beyond the question of adopting quota rules into the terrain of how, instead of remaining a dead letter, it is successfully implemented in practice

Dynamics (music · Electoral system · Legislature · Parity (physics · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Representation (politics · Sociology · Gender Politics and Representation · Historical Gender and Feminism Studies · Law · Social Policy and Reform Studies

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