KWDI Korean Women’s Development Institute

This study analyzes effectiveness related to women’s political representation through focusing on various domestic and foreign election systems and political relations laws. The purpose of this study is in providing measures to improve election laws and systems that would help expand women’s political representation, which would eventually lead to preparation of actualization plans and development of public opinions for spreading women’s political representation hereafter.

In order to meet these goals, the authors first analyzed the effectiveness of election laws and systems on women’s political representation. Secondly, foreign case studies were investigated and implications were drawn for the case of Korea. More specifically, case studies related to election laws and systems established for expansion of women’s political representation in foreign countries including France, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, United States, and Japan were investigated as well as the tangible results of these case studies. Thirdly, the authors conducted a simulation experiment (election simulation analysis) that utilizes data from past elections and predicts the result of a particular election system in terms of the number of parliamentary seats by party, by gender, and etc. Fourthly, a survey about development plans of election laws and systems related to women’s political representation during the 2016 general election was distributed to about 30 subjects including former and present members of the National Assembly, political parties, political scientists, and executives of political women’s groups. Lastly, the authors proposed improvement plans for election laws and systems in order to expand women’s political representation.

Also, the objective in terms of improving the election legislative system is to guarantee over a 30 percent share of political seats to be allocated to women, bringing the number of females up to an identical level as the number of males. The following lists various measures for reinforcing and practicing district quotas for women: ① obligation of 30% district female quota, ② stipulation of mandatory nomination of females in new districts that are established by redrawing election districts, ③ Enactment of the extra point system for female candidates during party elections, ④ Adoption of 20 percent strategic nomination of female candidate recommendation. Next, the following lists measures for enhancing the proportional representation system: ① expansion of proportional representation seats/enactment of proportional representation seat ratio, ② preparation of compulsory measures for performing quotas for women on proportional representation. Plans for improving women’s political development fund and recommendation subsidy system for women running for office candidates are as follows: ① usage regulation for women’s political development fund, ② improvement of the distribution method for recommendation subsidy system for women running for office candidates.

 

*Keywords: women’s political representation, election laws, election systems, district quotas for women, strategic nomination of female candidates, quotas for women on proportional representation, women’s political development fund