Equality for whom? Obstacles to women’s access to local government in Slovenia

Vlasta Jalušič and Milica G. Antić published a scientific article on obstacles for women to participate in local government in Slovenia. The article is proceeding from the original fieldwork research (analysis of legislation, interviews with candidates and gatekeep-ers, and focus groups). It identifies some of the less visible obstacles to women’s participation in local politics in Slovenia. Between 2014 and 2018, 35.6% of parliamentary representatives were women while the share of women ministers in the Slovenian government was 50%. Considerably fewer women were involved in politics on the local level, with just 7.6% holding the position of mayor in the same period and 10 municipal councils were without any women at all. The article discusses the reasons for such subnational variations in women’s representation in local politics. The analysis leads to the main conclusion that to change the low representation in certain local councils it is necessary to introduce a well-designed reform of the electoral system and measures related to gender mainstreaming, family life, and partnership roles.