Feminization of Spanish Regional Parliaments: Influence or Mere Presence?

The aim of this paper is to analyze the historical evolution of gender parity in the 17 Spanish regional parliaments from 1983 to 2021 and to assess whether there are still significant gender differences in the representation of women, especially in positions of power in regional politics. We also examine whether the legal and organic measures aimed at correcting gender imbalances have succeeded in increasing the share of power held by women. As a novelty, the analysis is carried out using feminization indices based on the percentage of female representation in the total. Our main findings, as shown in the results, is an increase in female participation, although there is still a significant gender gap in parliamentary positions of power. Regression analysis is used to identify the determinants of women's participation in regional parliaments. The main results lead us to conclude that scrupulous compliance with the standard is not entirely satisfactory, since the analysis notes the persistence of the glass ceiling in political power. Therefore, our study is relevant given the limited literature on this topic, with some of these hypotheses already being considered in other areas, and opening a line of research with the possibility of extension to other positions of power.