Strasbourg, 22/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament followed the rapporteur from the Women's Rights Committee, the Greek Socialist Anna Karamanou, by calling for the representation of women in all political fields, at the national and international level, not to be below 40%. The EPP group was still against the inclusion of this percentage, but a relatively close majority (281 for, 199 against and 18 abstentions) was seen for the original text. The same applies for the paragraph that calls on the governments to analyse the differentiated impact of the electoral systems on political representation and to encourage the adoption of quota systems within the political parties. The resolution was adopted with 341 votes for, 134 against and 23 abstentions. The Parliament also calls to associate men with the efforts deployed to increase equality, and calls for an amendments of the Treaty, during the next IGC, to ensure equality in public life (on Karamanou report see EUROPE of 13 January, page 14).
It is the quota system within the political parties that was at the heart of the debate: the Left wants it and applies it in certain countries, the Conservatives are opposed for the majority of the time. the German Christian Democrat Thomas Mann asserted that quotas cannot be imposed by governments, and Astrid Lulling, Luxembourg Christian Democrat, is also against the quotas. On the other hand, the Belgian Miet Smet, also a member of the EPP, defended the system: it is practical, it works well, and does not only concern women (she cited the case of her country, Belgium, where quotas apply to the linguistic communities). My country has chosen quotas, said the President of the Women's Rights Committee, the Swedish Social Democrat Maj Britt Theorin, and we have 50% of women in government and 44% in Parliament. The three Member States that have a more egalitarian system will act as a model for the others, asserts Mrs Theorin, who calls for an action programme attached to a precise timetable. Total equality exists nowhere, admitted the Danish Liberal Lone Dybkjaer (but in my country 9 women are in government, and one woman is the Minister for Finance, reminded the wife of the Danish Prime Minister), and the differentiate initiatives are required according to the country. In my country, there are not even 10% of women in Parliament, stated Genevieve Fraisse, the Independent French member of the United Left Group: we cannot like to quota systems, noted Mrs Fraisse, but the history of humanity shows that it is impossible to "produce" equality without constraints.
One of the most significant decision-making centres for the future of all is the family, asserts the European Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou: thus it is necessary to provide more opportunities to women in public life and, at the same time, encourage the role of men in the family setting. These are the changes in societies that must be accompanied by the modification of the electoral systems, positive measures, the support to the role of women in the international arena, so that they may act as an example to future generations. Are quotas necessary? The experience shows, said the Commissioner, that is it the countries that have taken the measures I have mentioned, possibly without establishing quotas, but by setting figured targets, which have gained the best results in terms of equality.