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PARLIAMENT WITH OR WITHOUT WOMEN? |
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February 9, 2004 |
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Like talking to a brick wall. This is how the mass media appear when it comes to addressing the problem of women's under-representation in our current Parliament of 275 men and 25 women. A Rump Parliament indeed! In our day, such a composition as to gender is only to be found in the assemblies of Moslem states. But the media don't seem to care. Their response, especially that of electronic media, is to feature the "stars" among politicians, and nothing more. Women candidates are a rarity in the televised debates. The usual spectacle is that of 8-10 men talking politics and quarrelling in a manly manner. We live in the Balkans, I hear some saying, not in the effeminate West! But in our neighbouring countries –excluding Turkey- women comprise over 20% of MPs, and therefore the "Balkan temperament" argument can be safely laid aside. This is an exclusively Greek patent.
Certainly, it is inconceivable that voters in Greece are in favour of such an imbalance of the sexes in this most important of democratic institutions. But has anyone asked them? The firms conducting public opinion polls –which, it should be noted, are paid very handsomely indeed for their services- do not deign to set such questions to their respondents – e.g. "do you prefer a parliament composed of 92% men and 8% men, or would you rather have a balanced, 50/50 representation?" Obviously, such an indiscreet question has no place in their ready-made questionnaires. The current ratio of the sexes in Parliament does not correspond to the composition of the electorate (51% women), nor to that of university student bodies, where women both outnumber men (60-40) and outperform them in academic distinction. It also does not correspond to the great progress made in recent years in Greece in all other fields.
So who is to blame? On the government's side, a series of important initiatives have been pursued, and the General Secretariat for Equality has accomplished significant work. Article 116 of the Constitution, after the last revision, provides a solid legal basis for "taking positive measures towards promoting equality between men and women". This constitutional requisition may be seen as the basis for undertaking actions "towards eliminating inequalities that occur in practice, especially against women", as happened with the mandatory 1/3 that was applied successfully in the latest local elections, and which mayors and prefects have since praised. "We are saved!", we hear many saying now. "The women do all the hard work".
Even so, the lists of all parties are once again dominated by men. It is true that PASOK has made a serious effort to revive its own, and has more women candidates that previously. But in many electoral constituencies the only candidates are men. At least in their case there will not apply the often quoted, though disputed maxim, that allegedly women do not vote for women. The lists of the two major parties for the State Council remain to be seen.
Sadly, the political parties have not developed a culture of equality. The electoral law, with the preference vote for MPs, the expensive election campaigns, and the intense internal competition between candidates, does not favour the participation of women. In addition, traditional structures as to family obligations remain alive and well in Greece of 2004; not so as to financial obligations, since husbands are no longer the only providers.
In recent days we have often heard Mr. Karamanlis refer in the third person to his wife's obligations: "she has two children", "she has me". OK, this is the Balkans. Sweden, George Papandreou's model state, is somewhat distant. What can we do before March 7? Unfortunately there is no time to formulate a long-term strategy or action plans providing for a 50/50 representation, like those developed by European parties, including Germany's SPD, Finland's SDP, and Sweden's SAP. The only thing we can do as voters, whether men or women, is to try and discover women, support them, vote for them. Our democracy of participation, and the NEW ERA led by George Papandreou need women!