Italy's new Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi joked that his Spanish counterpart's cabinet line-up looked "too pink" for his liking. The Italian cabinet includes four women but they will have a tough task on their hands, says David Willey in Rome. It could not be more different in Spain. Danny Wood reports that Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is at the very forefront of the struggle to achieve gender equality in politics. Italy: An Uphill Battle There has been a lot of talk about gender equality in the run-up to Italy's recent general election, but as is all to clear from the line-up of TV magnate Silvio Berlusconi's new cabinet, men still rule here. Out of 21 ministers in the new right-wing administration there are only four women, all given lightweight roles. Most of them have so far won distinction more for their looks rather than for their political prowess. (...) Spain: At the Vanguard Spain - the land that coined the word "macho" - is now at the vanguard of the fight for gender equality. After winning a second term in March, Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has more female ministers in his new cabinet than male, including a 31-year-old woman, the youngest minister in Spanish history.
It could not be more different in Spain. Danny Wood reports that Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is at the very forefront of the struggle to achieve gender equality in politics.
Italy: An Uphill Battle
There has been a lot of talk about gender equality in the run-up to Italy's recent general election, but as is all to clear from the line-up of TV magnate Silvio Berlusconi's new cabinet, men still rule here.
Out of 21 ministers in the new right-wing administration there are only four women, all given lightweight roles.
Most of them have so far won distinction more for their looks rather than for their political prowess.
(...)
Spain: At the Vanguard
Spain - the land that coined the word "macho" - is now at the vanguard of the fight for gender equality.
After winning a second term in March, Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has more female ministers in his new cabinet than male, including a 31-year-old woman, the youngest minister in Spanish history.
So we have women in cabinet such as Harman and Kelly who, whilst undeniably hard-working and intelligent, are too politically lightweight to be effective leaders of their departments. keep to the Fen Causeway
Dati is universally seen as incompetent and yet she is more protected by Sarkozy than any other given the symbol she represents (female and Arab).
Lagarde embarrasses Sarkozy with her unashamed neoliberalism, so she is kept hidden as much as possible, but at least her competence and legitimacy are contested by no one, even if her policies are fought tooth and nail.
Alliot-Marie is hated by Sarkozy, and is seen as an unavoidalbe leftover from the Chirac/Villepin years, so she is also kept in isolation as much as possible. Again, neither her legitimacy nor her qability to do the job are contested.
So these two are treated as male politicians in the same position would be, which is in a way a lot more important than the Dati show. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
