There is strong evidence that the
type of electoral system has an impact on the representation of women in
parliament.[i]
Women tend to have a greater chance of being placed on a party list as part of
a team of candidates under a proportional system than to be nominated as
individual candidates in a majority, winner-takes-all system. According to
Ballington, “It is now conventional wisdom that in proportional representation
systems, or electoral systems with a strong party bias rather than a strong
candidate bias, women tend to be elected in higher numbers than majoritarian
systems.”[ii]
A “closed list” proportional representation
system may also be more favorable for youth political participation, since
youth face some of the same patriarchal norms as women. These consider
experienced older men better suited for political leadership than women or
youth. In a majoritarian system, if political parties suspect a prevalence of
these norms in society, they might be more inclined to nominate men above 35
years old because they expect them to have a greater chance to win
constituencies. In a proportional system, political parties might be more
willing to nominate a representative team including women and youth. The team
could attract additional votes from different demographic groups without
turning away conservative voters. However, each electoral system has its own
advantages and disadvantages, and any consideration to changing the system
should be based on an understanding of the issues and the likely impact.
Voting
systems. Source: IPU website
https://www.ipu.org/our-work/youth/data-youth-participation
[i] Julie Ballington, “Equality
in Politics: Survey of Women and Men in Parliaments,” Reports and Documents no.
54, p. 3, (IPU, 2008), www.ipu.org/pdf/publications/equality08-e.pdf; Wilma Rule, “Women’s
Underrepresentation and Electoral Systems,” Political
Science and Politics, 27(4), 1994.
[ii] Julie
Ballington, “Political Parties and Recruitment of Young Women,” paper presented
on behalf of IDEA at “Entering Decision-making and Advisory Structures,”
Seminar on Participation of Young Women in Political Life, EYC, Strasburg,
September, 16–17, 2003, www.iknowpolitics.org/files/Young%20Women_Ballington.pdf.
