Kvinnliga parlamentariker och ekonomisk tillväxt : En paneldataanalys om kvinnors representation i nationella parlament och ekonomisk tillväxt i Europa

Sammanfattning: The object of the paper is to study the effect that female representation in national parliaments have on economic growth in European countries. Based on the assumption that the more people who contribute to a country’s economic development, the higher economic growth that country will have, the answer to the above question should be in the affirmative. This study is performed through a panel data regression analyses with secondary data. The variables included are the proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments, trade, net investment in nonfinancial assets, gender parity index, population growth, research and development expenditure and school enrollment and a dummy variable for European union membership. The variables are chosen in accordance with growth theories and previous studies. The results showed statistically significant effects of female representation on economic growth and the relationship was negative which contradicts earlier research and the above-mentioned assumption.