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Abstract
Over the last several decades, there has existed vast variation among the percentage of women elected to political office among OECD countries. Recent research indicated institutional and cultural dynamics are the main contributing factors regarding if women are elected. By integrating ideational analysis into the conceptualization of political parties, this study assesses the power of ideas and its role as the linking entity between institutions and cultural attitudes. This design tests whether or not a proportional representation systems effect on female political representation is conditioned by left-right party ideology of that country in a given election year. Results from an OLS regression analysis provide mixed results, but does yield an intriguing results that the presence of certain party ideas consistent with institutional rules is systematically related to greater womens representation.