Why groups are underrepresented in Parliament

• There are many groups who are underrepresented in the Scottish parliament
• Underrepresented group: Ethnic minorities


  There are hundreds of thousands of Scottish people who are not white, yet they are historically underrepresented in the Scottish Parliament.
• Underrepresented group: Women


  Despite some high-profile women being in the parliament the reality is that Nicola Sturgeon as the only female first minister out of 6 is the exception rather than the rule. Only 45% of MSPs are female which is the highest it's ever been meaning women have never had fair representation.
• Underrepresented group: Disabled people

  Not all disabilities are visible, and the Scottish Parliament building was designed with accessibility in mind however there are almost no openly disabled MSPs. It was only in 2021 that the first wheelchair user Pam Duncan-Glancy was elected to parliament despite around 20% of the population thought to have a disability.
• There are many reasons why some groups are underrepresented in politics
• Reason for underrepresentation: Racism


  Racism may limit the number of candidates picked for an election, but it can also put people off getting involved in the first place because of the abuse they face.
• Reason for underrepresentation: Sexism


  The way women are treated in politics, with the media often more likely to focus on a women's looks rather than their ideas can make them less likely to participate. Additionally, they are routinely compared to men and seen as unable to do as good a job as males do.
• Reason for underrepresentation: Lack of role models


  To those groups that have been excluded, if they look and don't see people like them in politics then it can be very off putting. Being more likely to have already suffered abuse as a minority they may be very reluctant to put themselves in such a public position if they have not seen how others have survived it successfully.
• Reason for underrepresentation: Incumbency effect

  The incumbency effect is where it is easier for people who are in power to stay in power because they can use their position to help them get re-elected. Elected MSPs have a lot of media exposure and taxpayer funded help to do their job and so are more well known.