WOMEN MAYORS AND BUDGETARY SPENDING PRIORITIES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v22.n4.3575Keywords:
Women Mayors, Municipalities, Gender Equality, Budget Spending, SlovakiaAbstract
This study examines budget spending patterns in Slovak municipalities governed by women mayors and compares them with those led by men, aiming to determine whether women mayors allocate more resources to areas typically prioritized by women. International research often identifies education, health care, and social protection as key focus areas for female leaders, though previous findings on gender-based spending differences remain mixed. Using official data from the Statistical Office and the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic, the study applies statistical tests to evaluate the significance of expenditure differences between male- and female-led municipalities. The results reveal no statistically significant differences across the budget categories investigated. A key limitation stems from the fact that municipal budgets require council approval, which may limit the direct influence of mayors on spending priorities. The findings suggest that mayoral gender is not a reliable predictor of budgetary preferences in Slovak municipalities. Instead, local spending decisions appear to be shaped by other determinants, such as the political power of councils, mandatory expenditures, and party policy alignment. This study contributes to the broader literature on gender and governance by providing evidence from Slovakia that diverges from several international findings.
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