Women’s Access to Candidacies in Presidential Elections in the Republic of Poland
Women’s Access to Candidacies in Presidential Elections in the Republic of Poland

Summary/Abstract: The objective of the present article is to identify and assess the causes of gender disparities in the elections for the office of President of the Republic of Poland in the years 1990–2025. There is an opinion, well-present in the subject literature, that the low participation of women in the exercise of political leadership translates into a small number of women running for election (Hartliński, 2012). This means that women are less likely to be nominated as candidates in the presidential elections by male-dominated political parties. This state of affairs is also due to social factors, including, above all, existing stereotypes about both women and politics. The subject literature indicates, i.a., the stereotype, deeply rooted in society, that the role of a leader is to be played by a man (Żukiewicz, 2011). The problem, however, is that this stereotype is perpetuated in the presidential elections in Poland, which is undoubtedly conducive to preserving political patriarchy. Political will proves to be the decisive factor influencing the increase in the participation of women in politics. During the last 35 years, only six women ran for the presidential leadership in eight elections.

• Details
• Contents