Despite a gradual increase in female representation in the Autonomous Region of Madeira's local authorities in recent decades, the composition of municipal executives remains predominantly male. An analysis of the results of municipal elections between 2009 and 2021 reveals a slow evolution towards gender parity.
The Parity Law, created in 2006 and amended in 2019, establishes a minimum representation of 40% for each sex on candidate lists, including for local government bodies. However, compliance with the law in list composition does not guarantee that the final election results will reflect this equality.
In 2009, women accounted for approximately 22.5% of elected officials in Madeira's municipal executives. This figure slightly decreased in 2013 to 20%. Starting in 2017, a growth trend was observed, with 27.8% female councilors. In the 2021 elections, 28 women joined the executives of the region's 11 municipal chambers, raising the female proportion to 39.4%, the closest value achieved to date.
