Educate Some to Represent Many? Education and Female Political Representation in Europe

Arbeitspapier

Gender disparity is present in many aspects of life, especially in politics. This paper provides new evidence on the impact of women's education on political representation focusing on several European countries. We combine multi-country data from the Gender Statistics Database of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) and from the European Social Survey (ESS). We find increased female education significantly raises the percentage of women being elected to regional parliaments. We then explore possible channels at the individual level and find education increases women's interest in politics and induces more egalitarian views about gender roles in society among women, although it fails to do so among men.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 16539

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; National Government Expenditures and Education ; Analysis of Education ; Higher Education; Research Institutions ; Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity ; Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
• Subject: education ; female political participation ; compulsory schooling reforms ; ESS

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Bellani, Luna ; Hidalgo-Hidalgo, Marisa
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2023

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/282666
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:43 AM CET