THE SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF WOMEN PARLIAMENTARIANS AND THE FACTORS AFFECTING DISTRIBUTION IN TURKEY POLITICS

Abstract

This study examines the spatial distribution of women parliamentarians and the factors affecting this distribution since the 1935 general election, when the first time women had right to vote and be elected. The statistical data has been obtained from official sources such as State Institute of Statistics (SIS), Supreme Electoral Council (SEC) and Grand National Assembly of Turkey (GNAT) and analysed by using ArcGIS 10.4 software. The spatial distribution of women parliamentarians in Turkey and their representation rates in the parliament have been evaluated by years in Single Party, Multi-party and military coup periods. The rate of women MP in the parliament was 4.5% in the 5th General Elections, 1935. However, this rate remained either at the same level or slightly decreased until 2000s. Women have become more active in the political area since the 2002 election and the women’s rate has increased to 17.3% in the most recent parliament in 2018. In the first years of the republic, women parliamentarians were elected particularly from educationally, economically, socio-culturally more advantageous regions in the west of the country. Nowadays, women are being elected from all over the country. Yet, these rates are still not in an optimal level. The patriarchy in Turkish politics hardens women’s participation in the parliament. Women need to act more consciously with an aim to promote to higher rankings in the political parties and gain higher positions in decision making processes. Nevertheless, there have been some positive improvements in recent years