Gender quota, and intersectional presence and power: The politics of prototypicality

Abstract While electoral gender quota have successfully increased the numerical presence of women in many parliaments worldwide, questions remain about who gains access and who remains excluded. Furthermore, most research continues to focus on gender alone, overlooking how intersecting identities, such as migration background, education, and age, shape unequal opportunities for political participation and power. This study offers an intersectional and longitudinal examination of the composition and career trajectories of members of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives from 1991 to 2024 (N = 1,250). Our findings reveal that while electoral gender quota increase women’s representation, they primarily benefit prototypical women, leaving dominant male elites largely unaffected. We additionally distinguish between intersectional presence and power, showing that non-prototypical Member of Parliament, also men, face persistent barriers to leadership and career longevity. This leads to the conclusion that quota gains remain fragile unless they are coupled to institutional changes that convert presence into power for non-prototypical Member of Parliament.