Femal Representation - Is it Important for Policy Decisions?

This paper studies whether the degree of female representation in Swedish local councils <p> affects local public expenditure patterns. Theoretically, the individual preferences of elected <p> representatives may impact public expenditure if full policy commitment is not feasible. To <p> empirically address the question I first analyze the preferences expressed by elected local <p> council representatives using survey data. This permits me to make precise predictions about <p> the effects of female representation on spending. The subsequent panel study on the <p> composition of public spending in Swedish municipalities supports the predictions derived <p> from the survey.