Chisinau Council risks turning into a men’s club after elections

The parties that will run in the June 5 local elections do not realize the necessity and importance of balanced participation of women in decision making. Therefore, the municipality of Chisinau risks turning into a men’s club after the elections. Such an opinion was stated by the president of “Agapedia” Foundation Catinca Mardarovici, who also heads the Women’s Political Club “50/50”. Catinca Mardarovici stated for Info-Prim Neo that most of the parties have by at most 1-2 women under the first 15 numbers in electoral lists. The Democratic Party is an exception as it has three women among the top 15 candidates. “The PCRM’s list contains two women up to the 15th spot, but it is evident that Zinaida Greceanyi will not leave the seat of MP to become a councilor. Thus, there is only one woman there. The PLDM has only one woman among the first 15 candidates, while the PL has two women up to number 15. A new generation of men is coming. Regretfully, these men cannot be called gender-sensible,” said Catinca Mardarovici. She also said that civil society, the mass media and other institutions sounded the alarm in order to make the parties include women in the lists of candidates. “We held 40 roundtable meetings and spoke with the leaders. They all admitted that the women who served on councils did not disappoint them. Nevertheless, few women are involved,” said Catinca Mardarovici. According to her, there are not many women in the electoral lists because they refuse to head parties and also because the places in a party are being bought. “The women must understand that they are not volunteers in the party. They must contribute, invest money in the election campaigns and demand that the budget be transparent so that they know how much money is needed,” said Catinca Mardarovici. She stated that the situation in rural areas differs from that in municipalities. The lists of councilors there contain more women. “It is harder to find members in rural areas and thus they recruit women,” said Catinca Mardarovici. A bill that imposes a minimum women’s quota of 30% in parties’ lists of candidates for all the elections was approved by the Government on January 19 and is to be adopted by Parliament.