IPU has welcomed France’s efforts to achieve gender parity in its national politics following Sunday’s elections with more than one in four parliamentarians now women.
With 155 women elected to the National Assembly representing 26.86% of all MPs, France has made significant strides towards reaching the 30% milestone achieved by less 30 countries in the world today.
Previously, France had ranked 70th in IPU’s world rankings of women’s political participation behind many developing countries such as Afghanistan, Mauritania and Pakistan as well as some European countries such as Italy, UK and Moldova. The latest election figures, largely attributable this year to France’s parity laws and a commitment by some parties to follow them, will catapult France into 36th place in the IPU world rankings.
The 155 women elected is the highest ever number for the National Assembly in French electoral history. More than two thirds of whom are from the ruling Socialist Party who fielded 45% of female candidates on its electoral lists. The party was one of few to field either 50% or close to 50% women candidates, highlighting again that where there is political will, gender parity in political participation need not be impossible.
At executive level, the decision by President Hollande to adhere to an electoral promise and put in place a gender-balanced government, is also a first for the country. A milestone the European country has yet to achieve, however, is the election of its first ever female speaker of parliament.
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