ABSTRACT
The five Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, are well-known for their extraordinarily high women's representation in politics and their extended welfare states. Until Rwanda recently overtook Sweden's place as number one, the Nordic countries have alternated at the top of the world rank order of countries according to the representation of women in national parliaments. On the GDI, the Gender related Development Index, they are all among the top countries (UNDP 2004). The specificity of the Nordic countries in terms of women in politics is the reason for having a special chapter on these five small countries. In this chapter common empirical and discursive traits in a Nordic model of governance and its importance for women's political representation will be discussed. The limited role of quota provisions for this development is highlighted.
