Gender and the Politics of Collective Leadership: A Comparative Study of Bildu, CUP and BNG

Most studies on party leadership assume that political parties are governed by a single individual, whether through formal regulations or informal practices. However, recent research has challenged this assumption, emphasizing that collective leadership is increasingly common in political parties. Implementing the team-based or co-leadership models is seen as a way to distribute power among several individuals. While such strategies of power fragmentation may offer opportunities for women, there is a limited understanding of how gender influences the distribution of power among co-leaders. This article seeks to explore whether collective leadership models may hinder women’s access to power and influence within political parties. Accordingly, we conduct a comparative case study informed by feminist institutionalism, which examines both the formal and informal gendered rules that shape the opportunities, resources, and influence of female and male co-leaders. The empirical analysis focuses on the collective leadership structure and distribution of power of Bildu,CUP and BNG, drawing on interviews with party members and staff, as well as party documents. The examined parties are three leftist parties, committed to promoting gender equality, and with different organizational structures.