Group Identity, Ideology or Recognition? Lawmakers’ Support for Gender Quotas in Latin America

Abstract

The adoption and improvement of gender quota laws depend on the political elites, but which lawmakers believe quotas are necessary? To answer this question, we use data from surveys of the elites in 13 Latin American parliaments. The findings are unexpected, both at national and party levels: the strength of already-existing quotas does not perfectly correlate with support for quotas, and the attitudes of political parties on the matter are not consistent. At the individual level, three pro-quota groups are identified: women, the left, and those who recognise the problem of gender inequality. When comparing the significance of these three groups, it is observed that women lawmakers will always be more supportive than men, regardless of ideology and the degree of recognition of the problem.