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Fewer women representatives predicted in Scottish and Welsh elections

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Summary of story in the Guardian, April 4, 2011

The number of women representatives in the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly will be the lowest on record after May’s election, equalities campaigners have predicted.

Both legislatures were created with the promise of a new form of politics and the number of women representatives was relatively high compared with other parliaments worldwide. But after a promising start the numbers have been in decline since 2003.

In the Scottish Parliament women held 39% of the seats in 2003, falling to 33% in 2007.This year only 28% of candidates are women.

The Welsh Assembly set a record for having an equal balance of men and women, with 30 of the 60 seats held by women in 2003. This then fell to 28 in 2007. This year the Institute of Welsh Affairs predicts the number of women Assembly Members will fall close to 30%.

Both Wales and Scotland implement a form of proportional representation which involves  two votes: one for a constituency candidate,  elected via first past the post, and the other vote for a party from a regional list.

In both countries 75% of constituency candidates are men.

Much of the positive action which increased women’s representation can be attributed to Labour, but this year there has been a watering down of this committment.

The ‘zipping’ of candidates only takes place on the regional list (see WVoN here) with no positive action for constituency candidates.

In Scotland five women MSPs are standing down, and all five seats are being contested by men.

The Guardian’s analysis also finds that ethnic minorities are not being properly represented.

As Chris Oswald of the Equality and Human Rights Commission Scotland says “A parliament which reflects the demography of the nation it represents will result in better legislation and a higher degree of public confidence in the democratic process.”

More positive action is needed to reverse this worrying slip backwards.

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