Does Women’s Underrepresentation in Local Government Matter? Review of what we know and should know in Portugal

Abstract

Does Women’s Underrepresentation in Local Government Matter? Review of what we know and should know in Portugal

This essay is based on a systematic literature review that identified 43 academic studies on local government in Portugal, where women’s underrepresentation subsists, despite the gender quotas (33,3%) introduced in 2006. The analysis, and the contact with the significant researchers on the subject, made it possible to understand why the Parity Law has a different impact on local government and on the national and European parliaments. It also explains the gaps in the existing studies, and identifies topics for future research.