Brussels, 12/06/2014 (Agence Europe) - With barely 1% more women elected MEPs during the last European elections than the previous, another half century will be needed before full parity is reached. This is the observation made by the European Women's Lobby after analysing the election results.
52 years before parity is possible. 37% of the next European Parliament will be women, which means a 1.25% increase compared to the 2009 European elections. The secretary general of the European Women's Lobby stated: “With this snail's pace it will be another half a century before the European Parliament would reach gender parity in 52 years, despite the fact that women make up more than half the EU's population”.
More women MEPs in S&D than EPP. It is clearly the Left that is leading the way in regard to the seats held by women, with 276 seats out of 751. The GUE is in the lead in this respect because 51% of its MEPs are women (23 seats). The S&D, the second largest political group after the elections also fares well with 45% of seats being held by women (86). This group is closely followed by the Liberals (40% of women at the ALDE, 26 seats). The Conservatives of the EPP make up the biggest political fraction at the European Parliament but less than a third of the group's MEPs are women (30%), 65 seats. There will therefore be more women MEPs in the S&D than in the EPP in the next European Parliament. The European Women's Lobby is also insisting that the nomination of MEPs for key posts give as much weight to women as it does men. This group is afraid that the populism expressed during the elections is undermining progressive and egalitarian policy with regard to women. (MD)