Several governmental investigations and reports indicate that women in politics do not have the same possibilities as men in Sweden, a country otherwise known for its generally high level of gender equality. This bachelor thesis is going to examine women’s politician’s perception of their own power and ability to influence the politics by interviewing seven fulltime regional politicians in a region in Sweden. The main questions that are analyzed are women's political issues and areas of responsibility, their access to political bodies and chairmanships and how they are respected and treated in their political role. 

Via the lens of feminist institutionalism, the analysis shows that there are big differences in perception between the women that participated. Some feel that they have the same possibilities as men and are treated equal, while others feel like they are limited and disrespected due to men being the norm within the politics. Their experiences can therefore only partly be explained by the feminist institutionalism as there are other reasons that affect their perception on the issue. The conclusion is that women’s politician’s perception of their own power and ability to influence the politics in a region in Sweden are partly equal to men’s, and partly limited.