Do right-wing female political role models affect women’s political participation? Do the mechanisms behind this effect differ for right- and left-wing women? While research has widely recognized visible female leaders as role models driving women’s political participation, little is known about the role model effect of right-wing female leaders, particularly those with overtly anti-feminist agendas.

Focusing on the political ideology of both leaders and the public, I argue that while role model effect (i.e., the erosion of negative social norms surrounding female leadership) influences both right- and left-wing women’s political participation, left-wing women’s participation is further mobilized by opposition to anti-feminist reforms. Using a survey experiment conducted on a representative sample of the Italian population (n = 3,000), I compare the effects of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s political leadership and agenda on left- and right-wing women’s participation.

The findings enhance our understanding of the role model effect in ideological contexts and contribute broadly to the analysis of trends in women’s political behaviour in countries led by prominent right-wing female figures.