# Women Vote for the First Time (December 1971)

URL: https://allhistories.com/andorra/timeline/1971-women-vote-for-the-first-time
Location: Andorra la Vella, Andorra
Themes: Key Events

The reform of April 1970 had granted Andorran women the vote and lowered the voting age to 21, but no elections took place until the following year. Elections to the Consell General were then held every two years, renewing half of the councillors, who were chosen by parish under a majoritarian system without legal political parties. In December 1971 women voted for the first time in Andorran history. Sources give the polling date as 14 or 15 December 1971. The enlarged electorate, though still made up only of Andorran nationals, chose councillors at a time of growing debate about the modernisation of the institutions, the rights of the large immigrant population and the relationship with the co-princes. The 1971 elections showed that the extension of the franchise could take place within the traditional system. Women still could not stand as candidates, however, and campaigners continued to press the Consell General, which granted women the right to be elected in 1973. Female participation in politics grew slowly thereafter, and women were long a small minority among councillors.

## Why it matters
The 1971 elections were the first in which Andorran women exercised political rights.

Ruler at the Time: [Joan Martí i Alanis](https://allhistories.com/andorra/rulers/joan-marti-i-alanis)

Apostolic Administrator of Urgell, acting Episcopal Co-Prince of Andorra: Ramón Malla Call
President of the French Republic, Co-Prince of Andorra: Georges Pompidou
Syndic General of Andorra: Francesc Escudé i Ferrero (Non-partisan)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Elections in Andorra](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Andorra)
- [Wikipedia — Carme Travesset](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carme_Travesset)
- [Alto Andorra — 1968 suffrage petition](https://www.alto.ad/politics/2026/06/andorra-council-suffragette-artwork-women)
- [Consell General — El Consell en la història: el segle XX](https://www.consellgeneral.ad/fitxers/documents/consell-en-la-historia/3-el-segle-xx)
- [Wikipedia — Tourism And Transformation (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Andorra)