European Commissioner Calls for End to Male Cartel in Politics - Building Gender Balanced Business

“The argument that “there are no competent women for the job [top EU postings]” has been put forward. What about Angela Merkel, chancellor of Germany, Tarja Halonen, president of Finland, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, president of Latvia 1999-2007, Mary Robinson, president of Ireland 1990-97, Dora Bakoyannis, foreign minister of Greece, Ursula Plassnik, foreign minister of Austria, Margaret Beckett, former British foreign secretary, or Emma Bonino, former Italian minister for trade and European commissioner, to name just a few?

“It is not about a shortage of capable women, but rather a question of men choosing men.

“I call on heads of state and government, leaders of all the European political parties, social partners and civil society to engage in an active campaign to increase the presence of women actively engaged for Europe.

“This is a call for action that aims to:

• ensure the equal representation of women among the top posts to be appointed next year;
• increase the presence of women on the lists for the European elections;
• and increase the female voter turnout in the European Parliament election in June 2009.

“It is high time we broke the male cartel in politics. It is not a question of whether women would do better than men – although they would certainly do equally well – but that they would do things differently. Women and men, with their different knowledge and experience, complement each other. Including women in the decision-making process is about democratic representation. Nothing more and nothing less.”

Margot Wallstrom, writing in the Financial Times
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