How gender quotas work in Switzerland

Since Swiss women received the right to vote in 1971, their political representation has risen continuously. In 2019, 42 percent women were elected to the National Council (lower chamber) with a proportional list system. Switzerland is a classic example for a consensus democracy with strong federalism, proportional representation, and protection of minorities, all features supporting the idea of quotas per se. However, gender quotas are rare: feminist activism within the Green and the Social Democratic party brought about voluntary gender quota that are effective especially for proportional elections. The parties’ political culture is key for quota compliance. Centre and right parties did not follow. Yet, the idea of unwritten gender quota has gained foothold. Elections to the federal government, always a site for negotiation and contestation, are a good example. The meaning of consensus democracy has gradually extended to gender and so women’s representation became part of the complex considerations whom to elect to government. Resistance to unwritten quota implementation is mostly implicit and nowadays occasionally appears in the form of unfair criticism or threats against women politicians. Sustained public discourse (and protest) is essential to keep up the pressure for gender quotas and to hold parties accountable to fair representation.