Political parties can
enhance participation of LGBTI persons in politics and decision-making
processes through a number of inclusion strategies. Some of these mechanisms
concern the party’s internal structure, such as including reference to LGBTI
rights in internal rules and procedures, or creating LGBTI wings inside the
party’s structure to represent the voice and interests of this community.
Political parties can
also promote LGBTI participation in their external strategies at different
stages of the electoral cycle. Some of the measures adopted by political
parties in different countries include placing LGBTI candidates in winnable
positions at the candidates’ list, including reference to LGBTI rights in
electoral manifestos, or less frequently, establishing quotas for LGBTI
candidates.
Another strategy to
enhance political inclusion is to create LGBTI parties that focus primarily on
the needs and priorities of this group, such as in the case of Ang Ladlad in
the Philippines. The creation of LGBTI parties is quite infrequent and not
always successful in terms of electoral wins, but it can help raise awareness
on the human rights of this group.
Example: In the Philippines, the LGBT political party Ang Ladlad was
created to primarily represent the voice of this community. Although the party
has had a poor electoral performance so far, it has contributed to place LGBTI
rights in the public debate. In 2010, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the
party in the case Ang Ladlad vs.
Commission on Elections, granting its registration as a party-list
organization after the Commission had refused it on moral grounds.[1]
Example: In different countries, some political parties have adopted
voluntary quotas for LGBTI persons in their candidate list. This is the case of
the People’s Democratic Party in Turkey, which adopted a 50 percent quota for
women and a 10 percent quota for LGBT candidates in the 2015 legislative
elections.[2]
In Australia, the Queensland Labor Party also adopted affirmative action
measures for LGBTI candidates, with a minimum quota of 5 percent in winnable
seats, as established in its 2017 Rules Book.[3]
Example: In the United Kingdom, major political parties have
established LGBTI wings to give voice to this community within the party’s
internal structure, promote human rights and fight discrimination, inside and
outside the party. LGBT+ Conservatives[4],
LGBT Labour[5] and
LGBT+ Liberal Democrats[6]
represent, respectively, the interests of this social group within the
Conservative Party, the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats.
Example: In Spain, most political parties addressed LGBTI rights in
their manifestos for the 2016 general elections. Political parties with
manifestos referencing LGBTI issues obtained 98 percent of seats in Congress.
There were specific mentions in the manifestos of the People’s Party[7],
the Socialist Party[8],
Unidos Podemos[9],
Ciudadanos[10],
Republican Left of Catalonia[11],
Democratic Convergence of Catalonia and Canarian Coalition[12].
A common proposal in most of these party manifestos is the fight against
discrimination and violence on basis of sexual orientation and gender identity,
through legislative efforts or action plans.
Example: Following the 2016 United Kingdom’s general election, its
Parliament reached the highest number of openly LGBTI representatives
worldwide, with 45 MPs who declare themselves gay, lesbian or bisexual, which
accounts for 7 percent of the House of Commons. The major parties’ commitment
to inclusive representation allowed for the placement of LGBTI candidates in
winnable positions. The largest proportion corresponded to the Scottish
National Party with 7 elected members (representing 20 percent of the seats
obtained by the party), followed by the Labour Party, with 19 openly LGBTI
representatives (7 percent of obtained seats), and the Conservative Party, with
19 members (6 percent of gained seats).[13]
