Merz Addresses Low Female Representation, Plans to Boost Numbers More Than Union Faction
Commission's requested to provide a plan for a worker-protection directive against ionising radiation hazards.
You know who's talking about the lack of ladies in power? None other than CDU boss, Friedrich Merz! In a recent bash at the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung's" reader's congress, he admitted to having a measly 25% women in the Union faction of the Bundestag. But he swore up and down that the next cabinet's ratio will be heftier.
However, Merz steered clear from the demands of the CDU women for a parity cabinet. Instead, he boasted about inciting women to join the German Bundestag scene numerous times. Healso invited more women to take charge, "Ladies and gents, I can't fucking imagine it without you!"
Not one to back down, the chairwoman of the CDU/CSU Bundestag fraction, Mechthild Heil, had previously pushed for half the major pooshes, including the faction chairmanship, committee chairmanships, and spokesmanships, to be filled by women. She even penned a missive to the CDU's parliamentary business manager, Thorsten Frei.
Seems like Merz might have a battle on his hands. The CDU isn't exactly being praised for its equal opportunities - they've only got 23% women in Parliament, falling behind the Social Democrats (SPD) who knocked it out of the park with a whopping 42%[1]. It's a struggle across many German parties, but there are some rogue ones with more women involved[1].
During coalition negotiations, gender disparities have surfaced, with the CDU having less women in the negotiating group compared to other parties[2]. But Merz hasn't revealed any detailed plans for boosting female representation in the German cabinet beyond the current Union faction's 25%. So, let's see if he can get his shit together and make a real difference!
[1] Source: ntv.de, AFP[2] Source: Germanwatch.org, "Gender Equality in German Politics" report (2020)
- Friedrich Merz, the CDU boss, acknowledged the low female representation in the Union faction of the Bundestag, with only 25% women, but expressed plans to increase this percentage in the next cabinet.
- The chairwoman of the CDU/CSU Bundestag fraction, Mechthild Heil, had previously advocated for women to hold half the major positions, including the faction chairmanship, committee chairmanships, and spokesmanships.
- The CDU and its 23% female representation in Parliament is under scrutiny, with the Social Democrats (SPD) leading the way with a significantly higher 42% of women in Parliament. Merz has not yet unveiled detailed employment policy strategies to boost female representation beyond the current Union faction's 25%.
