Lib-Dems say one third of lawmakers must be women

The Liberal Democratic Party submitted a legislative initiative to the Parliament's Standing Bureau, suggesting that the women should make up at least 30% of parties' candidates in elections, Info-Prim Neo reports. In a news conference, Liberal Democrat lawmakers Liliana Palihovich, who heads the parliamentary commission for social protection, health and family, expressed her confidence that the other member parties of the governing alliance also want to improve the political process in Moldova by involving women in decision making. “When a country sets a minimum female quota in politics, the state guarantees this quota. The Constitutions of many European countries stipulate this,” Liliana Palihovich said. In the early elections of April 29, 2009, the women made up 18% of the PLDM's candidates. Liliana Palihovich said the party, for the next elections, will field more female candidates than the minimum quota proposed in the bill.