It’s Got to Be a She! The Media Portrayal of Selecting the First Female Social Democratic Party Leaders in Sweden and Finland

Abstract

Gender has played a crucial role in leadership selection throughout history, for being male has been an integral quality of a leader. This explains why women who occupy powerful positions continue to gain gender-related public attention. Even in Nordic countries like Sweden and Finland, often celebrated as pioneers in gender equality, political leadership has been a masculine activity. Thus, women’s increasing representation in the national parliaments has not translated itself to an equal share of leadership positions within the political parties. The gatekeeper role of political parties is essential to this extent, as party organizations offer an environment conducive to rising to positions of power. Importantly, parties’ ideological stances and internal practices affect the prospects of female party members who aspire to become leaders (Kunovich and Paxton 2005, 540; Freidenvall 2013, 118.)