The Power of Formal and Informal Institutions in the Policy Struggles on Abortion and Same-Sex Unions in Italy and Chile: A Comparative View

The recent literature on institutionalism, whether new, or feminist, has argued that it is key to look at both formal and informal institutions to better understand outcomes and processes behind specific institutional changes. Globally, social policies on reproductive issues such as abortion, and LGBT issues such as same-sex unions, have become a reflection of the power struggles between conservative and more progressive forces to maintain or change specific gendered institutions. This is particularly so in countries where Catholicism remains the most influential religion in society, as is the case of Italy and Chile. These two country cases and specific policies provide an excellent opportunity to compare and highlight the way in which formal and informal institutions come to play a key role in advancing or hindering gendered institutional changes. It also allows to look at similarities in strategies and discourses used in different regions, showing the importance of specific institutions. This paper analyses the policy processes behind these policies. By looking at the interplay between actors, ideas and institutions, it tries to explain why in some cases some institutions matter more than others and how actors and ideas navigate these spaces. This includes politicians in government or the legislature, doctors, mass media and social movement actors, as well as state institutions and their internal rules such as: the legislature, its commissions, and state agencies.