Unequal or Equal Representation in the Political System of Portugal After the Great Crisis? The Evolution of the Engendering Process in the Portuguese Parliament.

The 2008 economic and financial crisis affected the party systems across the West, especially in the EU member states. The rise of anti-establishment political parties is one of the main consequences. But what has been the impact of this crisis on the political system form a gender perspective in Portugal? This paper focuses on the political elite and the role of women within the Portuguese parliament. Did the crisis stop women from entering parliament? Or, did it lead to the women already elected to parliament wielding more power within the system? And once women enter parliament, how hard is if for them to rise up the ranks and be appointed to prestigious roles such as Chairperson of the National Defence Committee? The study combines a quantitative approach and a qualitative one. First, I analyse the number of female deputies. Second, I examine the roles women MPs gain in the running of parliament and organisation of parliamentary business such as in the Presidency, the Bureau, the Standing Committee, the Conference of Parliamentary Committee Chairpersons and the Committees. Any study of the engendering process in the Assembly also requires a deep dive into the beating heart of parliament to fully understand the role deputies play in holding executive power within the institution. By this multi-faceted research and analysis, it is possible to dissect the challenges facing the engendering process in the Portuguese Parliament since 2009.