The project Local Democratic Governance towards Equality (LODGE): Implementation of Gender+ Equality Policies in Times of Anti-Gender and Democratic Backsliding investigated how local governments develop and implement gender+ equality policies in a political climate increasingly marked by opposition to gender equality and democratic backsliding. LODGE, thus, addresses a pressing challenge facing contemporary European societies: the erosion of democratic inclusion and equality commitments in the face of resurgent anti-gender and far-right forces. Across Europe, these actors increasingly challenge gender equality and anti-discrimination institutional commitments, often undermining equality policies through overt contestation and the subtle dismantling of policy implementation mechanisms and accountability frameworks. While most research focuses on national or EU levels, LODGE brings local governments to the forefront, emphasizing their role in shaping and implementing equality policies, advancing EU egalitarian objectives, and fostering democratic innovation.
LODGE pursued two core research objectives: first, to examine how gender+ equality and democratic inclusion are addressed in the strategies of local governments; and second, to investigate the practical challenges and opportunities involved in implementing these policies. Grounded in political science, gender studies, and public policy—core social sciences and humanities areas—LODGE combines policy analysis with a qualitative fieldwork-based approach, conducted closely with technical staff from local institutions.
The project's expected impacts are multi-dimensional. Scientifically, LODGE advances academic debates on the relationship between gender equality and (de)democratization processes and the capacity of institutions to uphold egalitarian commitments in increasingly polarized political environments. It introduces innovative conceptual tools—such as feminist democratic innovations—and provides an empirical foundation for understanding equality policymaking and institutional resilience amid challenges to gender and anti-discrimination frameworks. At the societal and policy level, LODGE supports institutional actors by offering evidence-based strategies to safeguard and enhance equality measures. More broadly, LODGE contributes to the EU’s strategic objectives of advancing gender equality, democratic resilience, and inclusive governance.
