Gender Quotas Database

The new electoral law (Law 165/2017) include several provisions to promote the representation of women in both the Parliament and the Senate (see in boxes above).

This law amended the previous law, Law. 52/2015, an electoral discipline for the Chamber of Deputies which exceeded the previous discipline in force since 2005. The electoral system for the Chamber of Deputies from 2015, which was never applied in an electoral competition as a new electoral reform was approved in 2017 (Law No. 165/2017) was based on, among other elements the introduction of forecasts to promote equal opportunities between women and men in access to elective office. In particular, the 2015 law specificed that candidates must be presented - on each list - in alternate order by gender; at the same time, the leaders of the same sex can not be more than 60 percent of the total in each circumscription.

Constitutional reforms in 2003 provided an ‘open window’ policy on gender quotas by stating that ‘citizens of one or the other sex are eligible for public office and for elective positions under equal conditions, according to the rules established by law. To this end, the Republic adopts specific measures in order to promote equal chances for men and women’ (Article 51 of the Constitution).

The Law on Public Financing For Political Parties seeks to promote the active participation of women in politics. With this aim, every party is allotted a quota equal to at least 5 per cent of electoral reimbursements received for initiatives oriented to such an objective.

Prior to the 2003 Constitution, Italy had a gender quota for elections to the Lower House (in 1994) but the provision was declared unconstitutional in 1995. Quotas were also in use for the 1999 elections to the European Parliament and for the 1995 municipal and provincial elections. The legislated quotas have recently been re-introduced for the European Parliament elections.