Political Party Quotas by Country: Regional Breakdown

The Greens-Green Alternative (GA)

GA has a 50% quota for women on party lists (1993).

Austrian People's party (ÖVP)

ÖVP has a 33.3% quota for women on party lists (1995).

Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ)

SPÖ has a 40% quota for women on party lists (1985).

Socialist Party, Flemish (sp-a)

The sp-a is the former SP. In 2000 the SP party introdued a minumum of 1 candidate of each sex in 3 top positions and equal number of wo/men in first 10 positions on local and provincial lists.

Socialist Party, French (PS)

In PS party bodies there may not be a majority of 80% of either sex.

Green party (ECOLO)

In ECOLO lists, the top two positions must be held by a man and woman.

Flemish Liberals (VLD (Former PVV))

In 2000 the party introduced a minimum of 1 candidate of each sex in 3 top positions and equal number of wo/men on local and provincial lists.

Flemish Liberal Regionals (Spirit)

Former VU. In 2000 the VU party introduced a zipper principle for local and provincial lists.

Flemish Christian Democrats (CD&V (Former CVP))

In 1999 the party introduced a zipper lists system for all elections. The party has also introduced that 4 out of 10 of the top positions on local and provincial lists shall go to women.

Flemish Greens (Groen)

In 1995 the party introduced a former quota to be applied on regional and community levels.

Flemish Regionals (NVA)

Former VU. In 2000 the VU party introduced a zipper principle for local and provincial lists.

Movement of Social Democrats (KISOS)

KISOS has a 30% quota for women.

Socialist People's Party (SF)

SF was the first party to introduce a 40% quota in 1977, abandoned in 1996. Candidate quotas for the European Parliament were adopted in 1983 (of 40%), and abandoned 1990. (Candidate quotas for parliament and local elections only 1988-1990.)

Social Democratic Party (SD)

SD adopted party quotas of 40% in 1983, and candidate quotas for local and regional elections in 1988 of 40% for both sexes. These were abandoned 1996.

Left Socialist Party (VS)

VS introduced party as well as candidate quotas in 1985 (50-50%). The party no longer exists.

Socialist Party (PS)

The PS has a 50% quota for electoral lists (1990).

The Left Party

Die Links has a 50% quota for women on party lists.

Alliance 90/The Greens

Alliance 90/The Greens has a 50% quota for women on party lists (1986).

Christian Democratic Union (CDU)

At least one-third (i.e. every third candidate) on an CDU electoral list must be women (1996). If this quota is not met, the internal elections for CDU delegates have to be repeated. The delegates are also candidates for elections on national level.

Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD)

SPD introduced a quota system in 1988. The target was 25% by 1990, 33% by 1994 and 40% by 1998. According to the 40% rule, it is required that the lists should be zipped, with the option of allocating every fifth place to someone of either sex.

Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK)

PASOK has a 40% minimum quota for women on party lists (Socialist International Women).

The Women's Party

An all women's party. The Party existed 1982-1999, and received up to 10 percent of the votes in parliament.

The Left-Green Movement (VG)

When candidates are chosen for positions at all levels in the party structure, as well as for electoral lists, gender equality shall be observed.

The Social Democratic Alliance (S)

At electoral lists, the main rule is to strive towards gender equality. In all elected bodies within the party, each sex should be represented with no less than 40 percent. If, among the candidates, one sex is represented by less than 40 percent, these candidates will be nominated without a vote.

Progressive Party (Centre Party)

When choosing candidates to all levels of the internal party structures and for electoral lists, each sex must be represented with at least 40 percent, unless for obvious and manifest impediments.

Fianna Fail: the Republican Party

In 2005 Fianna Fail adopted a 30% gender quota for internal party positions, with the target of selecting 1/3 female candidates for the next local elections (about 2008).

Sinn Fein

Sinn Fein has an internal party quota of 40% for women.

The Workers Party (WP)

WP has a 40% quota for women on party lists (1991). The party is not represented in parliament.

Green Party

The party has a 40/60 gender balance among election candidates (1992). In order to qualify for 50% of the party funding within the Green Party, a 40/60 gender balance among election candidates must be attained.

Fine Gael

The party had a 33% target for women in local elections in the mid 1990's.

Labour Party

The Labour party previously had a 25% quota for women on party lists. In 2007 the party adopted a 30% quota for women regarding internal Party positions, for example to the National Executive Council which is the highest Party body. Party members have passed a motion to have 50% women candidates in the 2013 Local Elections. Labour has the highest percentage of women Members of the Parliament in Ireland (35%).

Democratic party (PD)

Has a 50 percent quota for women, placed with strict alternation on electoral lists. (Party statutes 2008, Article 19.)

Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP)

LSAP has adopted a quota for internal positions (about 33%). The target is parity.

Christian Socialist People's Party (CSV)

The party is targeting a 33% quota for women on their party lists.

The Left

The party applies a 50% quota in the party body and on the electoral lists. The party is not represented in parliament.

The Green Party

The party seeks to apply parity in party bodies, positions and on lists.

Labour Party (MLP)

Quota provisions: The Labour Party has 20% quota for women on party lists.

Labour Party (PvdA)

PvdA has a 50% quota on party lists (1987).

Green Left (GL)

GL has quotas for women (percentage not confirmed).

Socialist Left Party (SV)

SV has a 40% quota for both sexes on electoral lists (1975). SV recommends the zipping system, i.e. alternating women and men on the electoral lists.

Norwegian Labour Party (DNA)

DNA has a minimum of 40% quota for both sexes (since 1983).

Centre Party (SP)

SP has a 40% quota for either sex (since 1989).

Christian People's Party (KrF)

KrF has a 40% quota for both sexes (since 1993).

Liberal Party (V)

V has a 40% quota.

Socialist Party (PS)

PS has a 33% quota for women on party lists, adopted 2004. Previous quota was 25%.

Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)

PSOE has a 40% quota for either sex (1997). The quota was first introduced in 1988 (25%).

United Left (IU )

IU has a 40% quota for either sex (1997). The quota was first introduced in 1989 (25%).

Socialist Party of Catalonia (PSC)

PSC has a 40% quota for either sex (2000). The quota was first introduced in 1982 (12%) and enlarged in 1987 (15%), 1990 (25%) and 1996 (30%).

Initiative for Catalonia- Green (ICV )

ICV has a 40% quota for either sex (2002). The quota was first introduced in 1991 (30%).

Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC )

ERC has a 40% quota for either sex (2004).

Nationalist Galician Block (BNG )

Quotas was approved by BNG in 2002 (40% quota for either sex).

Canarian Coalition (CC )

Quotas was approved by CC in 2000 (40% quota for either sex).

Swedish Social Democratic Labour Party (SAP)

SAP has a 50% quota for women on party lists with a zipper system (alternating men and women) (1993).

Left Party (V)

According to the statutes of the party "At least thirty percent (30%) of all leadership positions at every organizational level shall be reserved for women." (2009) VP has a 50% minimum quota for women on party lists (1987).

Green Party of Sweden (MP)

The party has a 50% quota for women on party lists (1987). Internal quotas (1981).

Social Democratic Party of Switzerland (SPS/PSS)

The party has a 40% quota for women on party lists.

Liberal Democrats

In 2001 the Liberal Democrats adopted a 40% target of women candidates, and at the same time rejected all-women shortlists. Prior to the 2005 elections, the party placed women in 40% of the "winnable seats". The Liberal Democrats implemented a "zipping" system on their candidate lists for the European election in 1999 which were conducted using List-PR, but did not use the zipping system in the European Parliament election of 2002.

Labour Party

The Labour Party's introduction of all-female shortlists for 50% of vacant and winnable seats (1992) was overturned by an Industrial Tribunal in January 1996, which ruled in favor of rejected male candidates that the policy was against the "Sex Discrimination Act" of 1975. For the 1997 General Election the Labour Party ring-fenced 50% of their winnable seats for female candidate-only shortlists. Subsequent to the 2001 General Election, the Parliament passed the Sex Discrimination (Election Candidates) Act , which allows political parties to use positive action to get more women into elected positions, should they wish to do so, without infringing employment law. This would allow the Labour Party to return to its pre-1996 policy. In the 2005 elections Labour reintroduced all-women shortlists in 30 "safe" constituencies, i.e. seats the party expected to win, but not all of these were won. For the first elections to the Scottish Parliament and National Assembly for Wales in 1999, the Labour Party used a system of selecting their candidates by "twinning" neighbouring seats. The "winnability" of the seats was taken into account, so that each pair would select one man and one woman. Under this twinning system, the members of the two constituencies come together for the purposes of selecting candidates. Party members have two votes - one for a woman and one for a man. The man and woman with the most votes is selected.