Introduction

Abstract

Women have long been virtually excluded from the highest levels of political power, and most countries have never elected a woman leader. The political underrepresentation of women in executive positions is problematic for women and also for democracy. Yet, attitudes and institutions are changing. During the past few decades, especially since the 1990s, a historically unprecedented number of women have served as presidents and prime ministers in a diverse range of countries around the world, mostly in post-transition democracies. Generalizations, however, are still tentative because in the small and highly diverse universe of women leaders, the emergence of new cases alters existing patterns.¹ The gendered nature of executive power has gained visibility and growing significance as an academic subject (Genovese and Steckenrider 2013; Jalalzai 2013; Skard 2014; Martin and Borrelli 2016). The literature on leadership, which remains a contested subject of study (Helms 2012; Elgie 2015), with some important exceptions (Stevens 2012), has largely left gender unexamined.²