Könsgapet i riksdagsvalet – en fråga om skillnad i viktiga politikområden? : En studie om könsskillnader i vilka politikområden som är viktiga för val av parti mellan åren 1998-2022

Sammanfattning

The aim of this study is to examine which political areas are considered important when voting in Swedish elections and whether these priorities differ between women and men. The analysis is based on exit poll data from Swedish elections between 1998 and 2022. Using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), the study explores differences in the importance of political areas and whether these differences can illustrate the growing gender gap in party choice. The theoretical framework draws on Inglehart and Norris’ Developmental Theory of the Gender Gap, political sociology, and previous research on women’s voting behaviour by Oskarson and Wängnerud. The results show that women consistently rate education, healthcare, environmental policy, and gender equality as more important than men. Energy policy illustrates a growing gender gap, with no significant differences until 2022, the year with the largest divergence in voting behaviour. An unexpected finding is that women consider economic policy more important than men. Overall, some differences in the importance of political areas between women and men are increasing, others are decreasing or stable. While differences in priorities alone do not fully illustrate the gender gap, specific policy areas clearly contribute to it.