Female presence and influence

As women’s involvement in political activity has evolved throughout history, the demand to participate in political decision-making has increased. With a special emphasis on gender differences, this article aims to ascertain the consequences that new strategies for candidate selection in Spanish parliaments have had for group decision-making. Using data from two surveys of political elites between 2011 and 2018, the perceptions of national and regional representatives are compared at two different moments in time. This comparison is particularly relevant considering the changes in the political context over the last decade. The results show that inequalities in political decision-making have decreased in recent years, and that the influence of men and women within their groups is becoming more equalised.