Women in municipal politics

In the study “How female is municipal politics? - The arduous path of women into the town hall” (published in 2019), reasons for the lack of female representation in municipal political bodies were examined. However, questions about gender-specific voting behaviour and its determinants have remained open: Why are women less likely than men to succeed in a personality election? Do women vote differently than men? These issues are analysed in the follow-up study, and the phenomenon of “same gender voting” in South Tyrol is examined. The scientific investigation includes an updated analysis of the results of the 2020 municipal elections and the evaluation of a qualitative voter survey. The voter survey was conducted due to the postponed municipal elections in November 2020,more than 600 people were interviewed about the following topics: attitudes towards gender equality and gender roles, political awareness, satisfaction with the municipal administration and discrimination against women in municipal politics. The publication will be released in spring 2023.

In addition to the scientific study, the Institute for Public Management, in collaboration with the Provincial Advisory Council for Equal Opportunities & the Women's Office of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano - South Tyrol, developed an action guideline entitled “For more women in politics... and how to achieve this goal together”. The guideline is based on the publication “How female is municipal politics? - The arduous path of women into the town hall” as well as the follow-up study analysing the opinions of male and female voters. In addition to scientific background information, the publication provides concrete proposals for measures to promote women in politics, which were developed in two workshops in cooperation with the Women's Office and the Provincial Advisory Council for Equal Opportunities. Four fields of action emerged, in which suggestions and proposals for implementation are required:

• political and pre-political space
• reconciliation of family, career, and voluntary work
• institutional and legal framework
• networking activities among women and media relations

The action guideline was presented at an evening event on the 23rd of June 2022 at Eurac Research. The event was met with wide interest and great enthusiasm.

Based on the existing cooperation, the Institute for Public Management offers support in implementing the necessary measures to achieve equal opportunities for women to the Provincial Advisory Council for Equal Opportunities & the Women's Office of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano - South Tyrol scientific, while also focusing on the related goal of equal representation of female political representatives in the South Tyrolean municipalities as well as in the provincial government.
Also regarding the upcoming provincial elections in 2023 and the municipal elections in 2025, it is important to put specific steps into practice and to support the political commitment of women in order to see results during the next elections.