ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the phenomenon of intraparliamentary volatility in the last three terms of the lower chambers of the Czech, Lithuanian, and Polish parliaments. Its main contribution was to present the most recent and original data collected on 2659 deputies with a view in particular of two phenomena: MP's party-switching (n = 1073) and MP's mandate replacement (n = 256). The main objective was to examine whether gender has determined the likelihood of party-switching or replacement, and to what extent other elections held during the parliamentary term – namely local/regional, presidential, and European – have generated intraparliamentary volatility conditioned by the MPs’ gender. On the basis of data collected, it was demonstrated that in the analysed parliaments, gender was irrelevant in determining the likelihood of party-switching. Similarly, gender was not significant in determining the likelihood of replacement but there is an evident difference between the reasons why male and female MPs’ mandates were expired.
