Why parties can benefit from promoting occupational diversity in legislatures:experimental evidence from three countries

How do legislators' occupational backgrounds shape their ability to advance policy? We argue that politicians with professional experience are perceived as more credible in their areas of expertise and can more effectively persuade voters and peers. We examine this argument in a series of experiments in three Western democracies. We find that German legislators with occupational experience in education are more effective at persuading voters in that policy area. The same pattern holds for United States' legislators with experience in healthcare. The quality of the arguments does not substitute for having actual occupational experience. These effects extend to elected officials: Swedish politicians are more likely to co‐sign motions proposed by peers with relevant expertise. Overall, parties that foster occupational diversity are better equipped to build support for their policy agendas. The study uncovers a new mechanism through which descriptive representation can influence policy outcomes, independent of legislators' preferences.