Politická ekonomie X:X | DOI: 10.18267/j.polek.1504

Exploring the Impact of Democratic Consolidation and Women's Political Participation in Alleviating Energy Poverty

Emmanuel Oluwatosin Adewusi, Babatunde Olamide Oladosu, Tunde Sodiq Taiwo, Steve Udoka Okwechime
Emmanuel Oluwatosin Adewusi (corresponding author), Political Science and International Relations Department, Faculty of Economic and Administrative Science, Bahçeşehir Cyprus University, Nicosia, Northern Cyprus, Turkey
Babatunde Olamide Oladosu, Jackson County Detention Center, Jackson County, Missouri, United States of America
Tunde Sodiq Taiwo, Business Administration, Institute of Graduate Studies, Cyprus International University, Nicosia, Northern Cyprus, Turkey
Steve Udoka Okwechime, International Relations, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Cyprus International University, Nicosia, Northern Cyprus, Turkey

Tackling energy poverty contributes to attaining Sustainable Development Goal 7, which seeks to provide universal access to cheap, dependable, eco-friendly energy by 2030. This current investigation examined drivers of energy poverty in South Africa using data from Q1 1997 to Q4 2021 to explore the association. The study employed nonlinear ARDL (NARDL), revealing that democracy and financial development exhibit significant long-run positive effects on energy poverty, while the short-run impacts demonstrate mixed asymmetries, with democracy showing a weaker negative effect. Economic growth and women’s political representation reduce energy poverty in the long run, emphasizing their pivotal roles in promoting equitable energy access and fostering sustainable communities. Conversely, energy prices have a strong long-run positive effect, exacerbating energy poverty. Although price reductions significantly alleviate poverty, short-run effects show smaller but consistent dynamics. In alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality), policymakers should prioritize enhancing women’s political representation and promoting inclusive financial development to ensure equitable energy access, reduce energy poverty, and support sustainable socioeconomic development.

Received: October 21, 2024; Revised: March 24, 2025; Accepted: April 2, 2025; Prepublished online: November 12, 2025 

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