Women and the election: Assessing the impact of gender quotas

This chapter analyses the impact of gender quotas on the selection and election of women in the 2016 general election. It begins by reviewing the gendered recruitment and candidate selection plans of political parties as they implemented gender quotas. This is followed by a review of women’s candidate selection, identifying the challenges and controversies that emerged as parties set about reaching the 30 per cent gender threshold. Attention is given to the election campaign to identify the presence, if any, of a gendered dimension to campaign issues. Looking at women’s electoral performance indicates that gender quotas were successful in enhancing women’s electoral prospects. The chapter concludes by profiling the women elected and suggesting there is still room for improvement.