Engaged Locally

More than 1,000 local politicians from over 500 representatively selected cities and municipalities participated in this EAF study, commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, to report on how they entered local politics and the experiences they have had in their roles.

Women are still a rarity in local politics. While they are just as qualified as men for the "business of life," they remain significantly underrepresented in local government. On average, women currently hold one-quarter of seats in local parliaments, and in smaller municipalities, there are still councils with no women at all. At the helm of districts, cities, and municipalities, only about 10 percent of district administrators and 5 percent of mayors are women. Furthermore, the proportion of women in local politics has stagnated since the 1990s.

Who are these women serving on Germany’s city, municipal, and district councils, or sitting in the offices of mayors and district administrators? What paths did they take to enter and advance in politics? What experiences do these women have, whether serving in honorary or full-time roles? Why are there still so few women in local politics? And, most importantly, what needs to happen to increase their numbers? These questions are at the heart of this quantitative and qualitative study by Uta Kletzing and Dr. Helga Lukoschat.

"Engaged Locally – Paths and Experiences of Female Local Politicians" is the most comprehensive study to date on Germany’s female local politicians. It provides current empirical data on the sociodemographic background and the entry and career paths of these women. Based on these findings, the authors have developed recommendations for action for political parties, civil society organizations, and local stakeholders, intended to revitalize the debate and demonstrate how the proportion of women in local politics can be sustainably increased.

More information

Kletzing, Uta; Lukoschat, Helga (2010): Engaged Locally. Paths and Experiences of Female Local Politicians. Published by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ).

Executive Summary: Engaged Locally - Paths and Experiences of Female Local Politicians