"Male parties?" A comparative analysis of sub-national units

In his research on radical right populist parties in Europe (2007), Mude devotes a chapter to exploring the concept of 'Männerparteien' (male parties). This term derives from previous studies by Bürck (2005) and Geden (2004), who conceptualised the identification of a gender gap among voters in radical right parties (Givens, 2004). Recent studies have corroborated this gender gap in voters, as seen in research by Weeks et al. (2023), and specific cases such as Raskova and Zankina in Bulgaria (2017). However, comparative studies reveal diverse situations depending on the country, with differences being most notable in Norway, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands, in contrast to Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Finland and France, where they are more limited (Immerzeel, Coffé and Van der Lippe, 2015). In her analysis, Mude (2007) incorporates a gender perspective to examine these political parties in Europe, highlighting distinctive features such as masculinised leadership, higher electoral support from men, higher representation of men in their parliamentary groups and a discourse against affirmative action policies. Following this structure of analysis, a list of indicators has been developed to measure the gender gap in radical right parties in comparison with the average of other political parties and, in particular, with respect to other right-wing parties. The methodology employed involves a comparative analysis of sub-national units in Spain after the 2023 elections, using various sources such as post-election surveys, the executive structure of parties, the composition of the chamber and the content of electoral programmes. The results reveal significant differences not only in comparison to the average political party, but also in relation to other right-wing parties both in terms of electorate, representation and positioning. The question arises whether this phenomenon could generate a contagion effect in the future, as a strategy of partisan competition within the right-wing spectrum."