As part of the departmental seminar series organised by the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Res. Assist. Başak IŞILDAKLI delivered a presentation entitled “Diversity in Local Political Representation: The Case of İzmir in the Distribution of Municipal Council Members by Age, Gender, and Educational Attainment” on Wednesday, 22 April 2026, at 1.00 p.m. in Classroom B-203.

The seminar addressed the distinction between local politics and local government and discussed the fundamental characteristics of local representation and its importance in democratic processes. The presentation then analysed data on the gender, age, and educational attainment of municipal council members, focusing on the cases of İzmir Province and Konak District.

The findings revealed that the proportion of women in local representative bodies has increased over time, although this increase has remained limited. They also indicated that representation is largely concentrated among middle-aged and highly educated individuals. Furthermore, comparisons between different provinces suggested that local representation is shaped not only by demographic factors but also by political and sociocultural contexts.

The seminar concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session enriched by participants’ questions and contributions.