‘There is no point having a token woman’: gender and representation in the ‘new’ Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland continues to lag behind the rest of the UK when it comes to female representation in political life. However, in the elevation of Arlene Foster to First Minister, Northern Ireland joins Scotland in having a female First Minister. Here, Sophie Whiting and Maire Braniff try to explain the low number of female Northern Irish politicians, and argue that it is the duty of the new First Minister to change things for the better.