The left government Spanish unveiled a bill on Tuesday that imposes a minimum of 40% women in the executive, a few months before the legislative elections at the end of 2023.
The text, presented on the eve of International Women’s Day, also imposes 40% of women on the boards of directors of large companies, and in the management of professional organizations (lawyers or medical associations, for example).
Is about “an important step towards effective equality” in “the decision-making bodies of our country”explained, after the council of ministers, the Minister of Economy and second in government, Nadia Calviño.
If approved, this law would make it possible to go from “the recommendations, principles and good practices that were in force until now, to establish obligations”, Calviño continued, expressing his intention to break “the glass ceiling” that women face in instances of power.
In order to favor the feminization of political life, the bill provides for the imposition of parity between men and women on the electoral lists, with an alternation between the sexes in order to prevent women from being relegated to the last positions.
The text also imposes a minimum of 40% of women on the boards of directors of companies listed on the stock market or those with more than 250 employees and a turnover of at least 50 million euros.
This 40% threshold, which is already in force in several European countries, such as Norway, France and Finland, is in line with the target recently set by the European Parliament to feminise boards of directors by 2026.
The text has to be approved by Parliament, but it seems difficult for this to happen before the legislative elections at the end of the year, in which the polls show the conservative opposition winning.
The government of Pedro Sánchez currently has 14 ministers and 8 ministers, which makes it one of the most feminine in the world, with 63% women. The previous Spanish government, led by Mariano Rajoy (PP, right), had 35% female ministers.
Spain is considered a benchmark country in terms of women’s rights in Europe, particularly since the approval in 2004 of a pioneering law against gender-based violence, or, more recently, due to the introduction of sick leave due to menstruation.
Source: AFP
Source: Gestion
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