GA: Women in local politics believe they are discriminated against, all key positions are still held by men

Women in local politics in Montenegro do not have equal access to decision-making processes, nor equal visibility and respect in party structures. The perception of discrimination is extremely high, while women are involved in politics solely to meet legal quotas, and not because of their competences.

These are the key results of the research "Women's Participation in Local Politics in Montenegro - An Emirati Analysis of the Attitudes and Experiences of Women Councilors" conducted by the Civic Alliance (GA).

As announced by the CA, the findings indicate that institutional mechanisms, such as quotas, are not sufficient to ensure real equality, because the political culture and distribution of power still remain predominantly male-centric.

"More than 80 percent of respondents believe that women are discriminated against in politics, and more than a third describe this discrimination as pronounced and systemic. At the same time, almost 60 percent of female politicians say they only partially participate in decision-making, while one in five has no access to key political processes," it was announced.

The survey also showed that 76,1 percent believe that women enter politics because of quotas, not because of their expertise or calling within the party.

"The largest number of respondents assess that motivation is largely related to quotas, which indicates a sense of formal inclusion to satisfy regulations, rather than real recognition of women's political capacity. Only a quarter cite personal ambitions as the primary motive for entering politics, which is a positive sign, but not enough to change the power structure."

The most alarming among the findings concerns the perception of conscious gender bias in parties.

"As many as 85,1 percent of female politicians believe that parties consciously neglect educated and capable women, choosing male colleagues for leadership positions instead. More than half of the respondents strongly agree with the claim that competent women are systematically overlooked in the distribution of positions. This result confirms that women do not face a lack of capacity, but rather a deep-rooted resistance to female leadership and closed networks of political power dominated by men," it was announced.

The research also shows that sexism remains an integral part of the political environment. More than 30% of female politicians have experienced sexist or derogatory comments. Despite this, female politicians display high self-confidence, which indicates a strong professional capacity that the political system still does not sufficiently recognize.

Unlike party structures, family and local communities generally provide support for women in politics. However, almost a third of respondents report that political engagement has a negative impact on their private lives, most often due to overload, lack of time and increased public pressure. This indicates that women continue to bear the brunt of balancing private and professional obligations, while the political system does not offer adequate support mechanisms.

The research was conducted among 70 local female politicians from 17 municipalities in Montenegro, using a structured questionnaire that combined a quantitative and qualitative approach, and the findings represent an indicative cross-section of their views and experiences.