A study on the role and importance of women in political life in the Balkans

A study has been conducted on the role and importance of women in political life in the Balkans, aiming to examine the level of representation of women in political life in European Union (EU) member states, EU candidate countries, and potential candidate Balkan countries. The background of women's political life in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey, and Greece has been explored, along with various concepts such as gender quotas, historical context, political party structures, EU candidacy, and EU membership. Based on data from the European Institute for Gender Equality, tables were prepared to evaluate the factors influencing women's representation in political bodies. The study concludes that the most significant factor influencing women's political representation is legal gender quotas, along with the active participation of women's branches and civil society organizations.