Publication

Limited Impact of Introducing Proportional Representation on Women’s Representation: Insights from a Quasi-Experiment in Local Elections

In this article, Michał Gulczyński, Monika Köppl–Turyna and Jarosław Kantorowicz examined the effects of introducing proportional representation (PR) in Polish local elections on women’s political representation.

Author: Michał Gulczyński, Monika Köppl–Turyna and Jarosław Kantorowicz
Date: 18 November 2024
Links: Read the full article here

The researchers analysed data from municipalities that transitioned to proportional representation with gender quota in Polish municipality council compared to those retaining plurality voting. The study found that proportional representation only modestly increased the number of women elected, with results varying by local political structures and party dynamics. The systemic barriers to women’s participation remained largely unaddressed by the electoral reform alone.

The findings suggest that while proportional representation can improve representation in some contexts, its overall impact remains limited on women's representation.