Women's participation in local politics in Türkiye: The case of Erbaa

In contemporary Türkiye and around the world, societal mindset structures and gender-based inequalities continue to hinder women's active participation in political life, constituting an ongoing democratic issue. Although Türkiye's transition to a multi-party system marked a significant step toward democratization, women's political representation has remained insufficient compared to the single-party era. This situation creates a contradiction between democratization and gender representation and reveals a structural weakness in achieving political equality.Despite various policies and efforts to increase women's representation in both national and local politics, women continue to be significantly underrepresented, especially at the local level. Yet, local politics is considered the foundation of democracy and a key area for women's entry into political life. This study aims to examine women's representation in local politics, focusing on the Erbaa district of Tokat. It seeks to reveal the level of participation, the challenges faced, and the experiences of women involved in local governance.The study consists of three main parts. The first part conceptually discusses political participation and women's representation. The second part analyzes the position of women in local politics within the framework of gender equality and democratic theory. In the third part, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 women actively involved in local politics in Erbaa, and their experiences were evaluated. This research aims to contribute to the literature on women in local politics and to develop policy recommendations to enhance their representation in political life.