Women in local politics in Montenegro do not have equal access to decision-making processes, nor do they enjoy equal visibility and recognition within party structures. The perception of discrimination is extremely high, while women are often included in politics primarily to fulfill legal quotas rather than based on their competencies.<\/p>\n
These are the key findings of the pilot study \u201cParticipation of Women in Local Politics in Montenegro – Empirical Analysis of Attitudes and Experiences of Female Councillors\u201d<\/em> conducted by Civic Alliance. The findings indicate that institutional mechanisms, such as quotas, are not sufficient to ensure genuine equality, as political culture and the distribution of power remain predominantly male-dominated.<\/p>\n More than 80% of respondents believe that women in politics are discriminated against, with over one-third describing this discrimination as pronounced and systemic. At the same time, nearly 60% of female politicians report only partial participation in decision-making, while one in five has no access at all to key political processes.<\/p>\n Almost three-quarters of respondents (76.1%) believe that women enter politics due to quotas rather than their expertise or internal motivation. Most respondents assess that motivation is largely quota-driven, indicating a perception of formal inclusion to meet legal requirements rather than genuine recognition of women\u2019s political capacity. Only a quarter cite personal ambition as their primary motivation for entering politics, which is a positive signal but insufficient to change the existing power structure.<\/p>\n The most alarming finding relates to the perception of deliberate gender bias within political parties. As many as 85.1% of female politicians believe that parties consciously overlook educated and capable women, choosing male colleagues instead for leadership positions. More than half of respondents strongly agree that competent women are systematically bypassed in the allocation of roles. This confirms that the issue is not a lack of capacity, but deeply rooted patterns and closed networks of political power that favor men.<\/p>\n The study also shows that sexism remains present in the political environment. More than 30% of female politicians report having experienced sexist or derogatory comments. Despite this, female politicians demonstrate a high level of self-confidence, indicating strong professional capacity that the political system still fails to adequately recognize.<\/p>\n Unlike party structures, families and local communities generally provide support to women in politics. However, nearly one-third of respondents state that political engagement negatively affects their private lives, most often due to overload, lack of time, and increased public pressure. This indicates that women continue to bear the greatest burden of balancing private and professional responsibilities, while the system does not offer adequate support mechanisms.<\/p>\n The study was conducted among 70 female local politicians from 17 municipalities in Montenegro, using a structured questionnaire that combined quantitative and qualitative approaches. The findings represent an indicative overview of their attitudes and experiences.<\/p>\n