Juventud, entre inclusión simulada y representación restringida: efectos de la cuota intergeneracional en el legislativo ecuatoriano (2009–2025)

The article critically examines the effects of Ecuador’s 2020 electoral reform, which introduced an intergenerational quota requiring political organizations to include at least 25% of young candidates. Using a methodology based on the systematization of quantitative data from the National Electoral Council, the study evaluates the evolution of youth participation and representation across six legislative elections (2009–2025), comparing the periods before and after the reform. The analysis also incorporates a gender perspective, allowing for a critical reflection on the overrepresentation of young women in candidate lists as a potential strategy for instrumental compliance. The findings reveal progress in formal participation, but also highlight structural barriers that continue to limit young people’s effective access to political power.