Representatives of the ruling coalition parties and opposition radical nationalist Jobbik opposed while the main opposition Socialists and green LMP supported the idea of setting a quota for women MPs in parliament at a debate held about women’s representation in public life on Wednesday.
Opening the event Miklos Soltesz, state secretary for social, family and youth affairs, said the best way to encourage women’s participation in politics, and in welfare and economy is through supporting them in their dual work-family tasks. He said the approach towards a stronger representation of women should be “work and family” instead of “work or family.” He said the government had introduced several measures supporting families with children in 2011.
The reintroduction of a quota system used for female MPs until 1990 has been repeatedly proposed in past parliaments but even on the last occasion in 2007 it was supported by fewer than one-third of the 386 lawmakers, he said.
Gabriella Selmeczi, the spokeswoman for ruling Fidesz, said the party shared the view that women are underrepresented in public life in general. However, ways of increasing their role should not be “narrowed down” to a debate on quotas. She said one way to better support women was through enacting further laws and government measures and through ensuring education in the most backward towns and villages.
Tamas Lukacs, the spokesman for the co-ruling Christian Democrats, said that in Hungarian politics women choosing to cater for family should be better esteemed.
Speaker for the Socialists, Tibor Pal noted the small ratio of women in Hungarian politics, a number which is the lowest compared to 24 other EU states. Another speaker for the party, Monika Lamperth said she supported setting a quota system.
Katalin Ertsey, a lawmaker of the opposition Politics Can Be Different, who initiated the debate, said increasing the number of women was a basic need in a country where they account for 52 percent of society but have only 9 percent representation in parliament.
Dora Duro, the spokeswoman of radical nationalist Jobbik said women choosing family must be esteemed and added that instead of introducing a quota system her party maintained that having the right skills should be the only requirement. Female MPs are not subjected to discrimination and women’s low participation in public life is a problem rooted in Hungary’s political culture, she added.
quotas never work. I agree with Dóra Duro, having the right skills should be the only requirement.
Positive discrimination and quotas put to many people on the wrong places for the wrong reasons…
I second that. Positive discrimination and quotas are just evil. There are too few female truck drivers? Quota for them! Too few female mathematicians or physicists? Quota for them! Insane, isn’t it?