The principle of Gender Parity and the Increase in Female Municipal Presidents in Mexico: a Comparative Analysis of the 2005-2017 Period

Abstract

Since 2005, the number of women who are municipal presidents has systematically increased, but the principle of gender parity has enabled a substantial increase in female mayors. Between 2013 and 2015, this figure grew by 52.1%, and in 2017, for the first time in the history of the country, Querétaro and Quintana Roo had 50% of female municipal presidents. However, female mayors govern less than 16% of the country’s total population. At the same time, capitals are usually governed by men, which allows access to more resources. Women still face significant obstacles from political parties to be nominated. Nevertheless, there is a trend towards plurality of gender and partisanship in municipalities, and the aim is to shift from descriptive to substantive representation.