Group Representation and Diversity

Abstract

This panel examines the impact of institutional designs on the descriptive and substantive representation of minority groups. It analyses the effectiveness of specific mechanisms on representation, such as party-level candidate selection processes, recruitment requirements and the role of quotas. It also goes a step further by investigating what shapes citizen preferences towards minority groups, and partisan appeals to specific societal groups. The panel combines case studies and comparative perspectives from a number of European democracies and the European Parliament. The findings from this panel have implications for our understanding of minority representation from the perspectives of both citizen demand and party supply.