Wybory i reprezentacja polityczna kobiet
ELECTION AND POLITICAL REPRESENTATION OF WOMEN

Summary/Abstract: The article tackles highly sensitive and popular question of complicated relation between women’s representation in contemporary political systems and the institution of election. It contains statistical data concerning women’s political representation (in regional dimension) and also methodical analyze exploring reasons and mechanisms affecting certain (and diversified) level of above mentioned women’s political representation. Central place in Żukowski’s essay occupies the phenomena of formal and institutional mechanism that helps to stimulate the increase of fair political representation of both sex. Author explain: genesis and complex nature such “tricks”; their consequences, and their pro and con as well. Main thesis of article are as follows: – nowadays the most painful question (while discussing the problem of fair political representation of men and women) is the possibility for women to exercise their passive dimension of universal suffrage; – number of women occupying highest ranks in national governments (post of president or prime minister) is still minimal; – we can observe progressively growing number of women represented in national assemblies (Nordic countries traditionally lead the ranking); – so called ballot quotas (define by national law) are the effective way of reducing political discrimination according to sex, especially in traditional body politics; – proportional representation (PR) is one of the most favorable – from women’s point of view – cluster within the electoral formula; – women’s political activity (exercising passive right of voting) is blocked by three main groups of reasons: political, socio-economical and psychological; – religion is the factor that seriously affects place of women in contemporary political systems; Protestant faith favors women while religions of East (i.e. Islam, Judaism) fuel the phenomena of underrepresentation of women.

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