Political Dynasties, Term Limits and Female Political Empowerment: Evidence from the Philippines

57 Pages Posted: 11 Oct 2017

See all articles by Julien Labonne

Julien Labonne

University of Oxford - Blavatnik School of Government

Sahar Parsa

Tufts University

Pablo Querubin

New York University (NYU) - Department of Politics

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: July 1, 2017

Abstract

We study female representation in the Philippines. We first provide evidence for a previously understudied channel for female access to office: binding term limits constitute critical junctures in which dynastic women are 240 percent more likely to access political office. We then show that in municipalities where a term-limited incumbent was replaced by a relative, there are no differences in policy outcomes between those governed by a male or female mayor. We argue that the channel through which women enter elected office matters for whether female descriptive representation translates into substantive female representation. When women access office through a dynastic channel there is no gender mandate. Female politicians may be more responsive to the interests of their family (rather than those of other women) or may be unable to represent female preferences, as they are often figureheads or benchwarmers of previous relatives.

Suggested Citation

Labonne, Julien and Parsa, Sahar and Querubin, Pablo, Political Dynasties, Term Limits and Female Political Empowerment: Evidence from the Philippines (July 1, 2017). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2930380 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2930380

Julien Labonne

University of Oxford - Blavatnik School of Government ( email )

10 Merton St
Oxford, Oxfordshire OX1 4JJ
United Kingdom

Sahar Parsa (Contact Author)

Tufts University ( email )

Pablo Querubin

New York University (NYU) - Department of Politics ( email )

New York, NY
United States

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