A voting culture may show the sociological and political perspectives, amongst other criteria, of citizens to perform their basic democratic right of vote and delegation of powers. This culture can be further fragmented into what we could call a « feminist voting culture » through which the question of gender equality can be analysed by giving women an opportunity to participate in policy making decisions. Therefore, a feminist voting culture can be depicted as voting for a female candidate with political attentiveness and acumen.
Underrepresentation of women in politics is not a secret in Mauritius. The fact that more than 50 percent of the population are of female gender does not reflect the number of elected female members at national elections. Maybe because we are entrenched in a patriarchal society with a lack of voting feminist empowerment. The right to vote does not stop with a mere cross with a pencil on a ballot paper ; it also shapes the country and at the same time defines the voting culture. It is true that at the end of the day the people get the government they deserve but it is also not false that in our Westminster-like system, it is about the majority of party votes and a game of figures. In the Mauritian electoral system, we have to admit that it is very difficult for women to pave a way through any election.
Since 1967, we have 5 constituencies, namely Port Louis Maritime and Port Louis East (constituency No. 3), Pamplemousses and Triolet (No. 5), Grand Baie and Poudre D’Or (No. 6), Flacq and Bon Accueil (No. 9) and Rivière des Anguilles and Souillac (No. 13), where women have never been in a position to get elected. It appears that there is no such feminist voting culture; and lobbies for electoral empowerment seem to be superficial. It can also be felt that there is no adequate identification factor with the profile of female candidates to the detriment of gender equality at the end of the day.
The voting culture does play an important role in an election because it represents traditions, beliefs, political schemas and ideologies which will in turn give a country its roadmap. Mauritius has a voting culture of parties rather than candidates, and even less for those of female gender, which can lead to subjective questions on the part of voters. « Do I identify myself with the female candidate? » « Does the female candidate share my perspective? » « Do I identify women in my close circle with that particular female candidate? » It is not only a question of profiling but also one of unconscious identification and questioning process leading to trust and to ultimately cast a vote.
Over the last 12 general elections, the country could secure only 71 elected women over 840 elected candidates including the Best Losers – thus only approximately 8%. Is there a malaise to vote for women in leading political parties, non-mainstream ones or as independent candidates, or is it only trust or lack thereof through identification?
In constituencies like Grand River North West and Port Louis West (No. 1), Belle Rose and Quatre Bornes (No.18), Stanley and Rose-Hill (No. 19) and Beau Bassin and Petite Rivière (No. 20), we can find a pattern for elected women candidates. These constituencies seem to have been dipped in the strong ideologies of the « marxisme/militantisme » through almost all waves of feminism.
Since 1967, Beau Bassin and Petite Rivière (No. 20) recorded the highest number of elected women with 9 candidates; followed by Grand River North West and Port Louis West (No. 1), Savanne and Black River (No. 14), Vacoas and Floreal (No. 16) with 8 elected members respectively. As for Constituency Stanley and Rose-Hill (No. 19), 7 women candidates were elected. When it comes to Constituency Belle Rose and Quatre Bornes (No.18), it secured 6 elected women. However, the figures shed another light regarding constituencies Quartier Militaire and Moka (No. 8), Vieux Grand Port and Rose Belle (No. 11), La Caverne and Phoenix (No. 15) with only 3 elected women candidates each. Furthermore, there were only 2 women elected in Piton and Rivière Du Rempart (No. 7) since 1967. We end up with Port Louis South and Port Louis Central (No. 2), Montagne Blanche and Grand River South East (No. 10), and Mahebourg and Plaine Magnien (No. 12) with only one woman elected each.
A pattern embedded with a strong wave of feminism and identification has been noticed, with at least one elected woman candidate in the last six general elections in Constituency No. 1; at least one elected woman in the last four general elections in Constituency of Port Louis North and Montagne Longue (No. 4) ; one elected female candidate in the last three general elections in Constituency No. 8; Constituency No. 11 recorded at least two elected women in the last two general elections and Constituency No. 19 noted at least one elected candidate in the last four general elections.
This pattern tends to indicate that voters have developed a sense of identification and appurtenance with female candidates in some constituencies and it has turned into a voting culture. However, it cannot be denied that it will take time to inculcate a fully-fledged feminist voting culture in our society. The intent of this paper is to open doors for further analysis of the Mauritian feminist voting culture in upcoming elections and the way female candidates irrespective of parties will shape the voting structure.
References
Electoral Commission Website
Gender Statistics Mauritius