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EU: 250 million women in the EU and none of them good enough?
MEP's from across Europe are calling on EU institutions to uphold the principles of equality stated by the Lisbon Treaty by appointing female as well as male EU leaders
di Staff
250 million women in the EU. Not a single one good enough? is the title of the campaign, launched by Females in Front for appointing at least one woman for every four European Union leaders.
Over the course of the coming 12 months, four politicians will be appointed as leaders of the EU. Once the Lisbon Treaty is ratified by all 27 Member States, two new permanent positions will be introduced: a Council President (permanent President of the European Council) and a High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. After the elections to the European Parliament in June 2009, another two top positions will opened: a President of the European Parliament and a Commission President.
Females in Front is a cross party initiative started by MEPs from different political groups and countries to ensure that Union promotes equality between men and women, as stated in the Treaty of Lisbon.
Currently in the European Commission 67% of the commissioners are men and only 33% are women. In the European Parliament 69% of the MEP’s are men and less than half, 31%, are women. 84% of the members of the Committe of Regions are men; less than a quarter, 16%, are women, while in the Economic and Social Committee 77% of the members are men and 23% are women.
Leading political positions in Member States are also dominated by men: out of 27 prime ministers only one is a woman, 26 are men; out of the states’ presidents two are women, 18 are men; 75% of senior ministers are men, 25% are women; four of the parliament presidents are women, 23 are men; 76% of members of national parliaments are men, 24% are women.
The Treaty of Lisbon introduces the principle of participatory democracy with a “citizen’s initiative” which requires the signatures from a minimum of 1 million EU citizens from a significant number of Member States. With 1 million signatures, the Commission can be asked to take action to secure that the EU fulfils the Treaty’s goal of gender equality, starting with the upcoming nominations.
Females in Front is calling on all those citizens who wish to see at least one female appointed as leader of the European Union to sign their petition.
