Promoting Gender Equality in Local Councils in Europe

This chapter examines the promotion of gender equality in municipal councils in Europe. It investigates the relationship between descriptive representation—women’s proportional presence in elected offices—and substantive representation, which considers whether women are more likely to promote gender-equal policies. These policies cover various aspects, including local elections, local institutions, special policies or programmes, gender-sensitive decision-making, access to information on gender equity, and the representation of women’s interests in local society. The chapter explores whether the tendency to promote gender equality in local councils is primarily shaped by individual motivations and choices or by institutional constraints. It addresses three main questions: the representation of women in local councils (compared with national parliaments), how councillors promote gender issues, and the factors explaining their willingness to do so. Overall, this chapter contributes to the literature by deepening the understanding of gender equality promotion in local politics and highlighting the interplay between institutional structures and individual motivations.