Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/128399
Year of Publication: 
2016
Series/Report no.: 
CESifo Working Paper No. 5693
Publisher: 
Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo), Munich
Abstract: 
Female under-representation in politics can be the result of parties’ selection of candidates and/or of voters’ electoral preferences. To assess the impact of these two channels, we exploit the introduction of Italian Law 215/2013, which prescribes both gender quotas on candidate lists and double preference voting conditioned on gender. Using a Regression Discontinuity Design, we estimate that the law increases the share of elected female politicians by 22 percentage points. The result is driven by the increase in preference votes cast for female candidates, suggesting a salient role of double preference voting in promoting female empowerment in politics.
Subjects: 
gender quotas
municipal elections
regression discontinuity design
JEL: 
D72
J45
Document Type: 
Working Paper
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