New FES study: Who does (not) have a seat in parliament?

How important is the composition of our parliaments for the quality of our democracies? A parliament that reflects the diversity of its voters strengthens democracy by ensuring that political decisions mirror the different life experiences and interests of those voters. When different age groups, genders, and socio-economic groups are represented, political legitimacy increases. Such diverse representation fosters citizens’ trust in the political system and increases their participation.

But, of course, the reality is different. No parliament can perfectly reflect every section of society. Parliaments often have a higher proportion of men, older people, and highly educated individuals from dominant socio-economic groups. The Hellenic Parliament is no exception to this: Young people, women, and individuals from lower socio-economic backgrounds are underrepresented. The brand new FES study examines the composition of the Greek parliament in terms of age, gender, education and economic status, and proposes policy measures to ensure greater congruence between voters and their representatives in parliament, thereby strengthening the legitimacy of our democracy. 

You can download our publication here.

Υοu can download the programm of the launch on 12 November 2025 here.