Quick facts
Qualitative facts
1. Electoral system and party system and their impact on women
2. History of Women's suffrage
3. Legal framework for the promotion of a balance between men and
women in political decision-making
a. Infrastructure responsible for EO
b. Women's participation in politics as a governmental objective and strategy
c. Actions initiated to promote women's participation in politics
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Report from Italy by our transnational partner
Maria Grazia
Ruggerini |
Quick facts |
Women in Politics:
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Women's suffrage active: |
1945 |
Women's suffrage passive: |
1945 |
1st Women in parliament: |
1948: 7,8% Women in Parliament |
1st Women in government: |
1976 Tina Anselmi, Ministry of Work |
1st Ministry on women's issues: |
1996 Ministry of Equal Opportunities |
% women in national Parliament: |
Lower House 11,3% (2000); Upper House 8,0% (2000) |
% women in national Government: |
14,1% (2000) |
Electoral System: |
Mixed: |
Members of the Lower House and Upper House (Senate)
are elected with different modalities. Those of the Lower House are elected with
a mixed system. 75% of the seats are allotted according to the majority system in
single-member constituencies, 25% instead, according to the proportional system.
To the Upper House is in force the majority system with proportional adjustment.
Senate: 315 members. |
Quota: |
Quota Law: |
1993 two quota laws for quota regulation
introduced. 1995 declared as not constitutional. Since then no quota
regulation. No statutory quota regulation. |
Party Quota: |
50% Verdi, 40% DS, 40% PRC, 20% PPI |
Education: |
% women with secondary degree: |
50,7 % (1998) |
% women with degree in higher education: |
44,5% (1998) |
% women in senior management: |
0,6% (1999) |
Women's employment rates: |
Full time: |
32,8% (1998) |
Part-time: |
14,1% (1998) |
Activity rate: |
44,8% (1998) |
Unemployment: |
16,8% (1998) |
*sources: Employment in Europe 1999 and Schlüsselzahlen zum Bildungswesen
in der Europäischen Union, Amt für amtliche Veröffentlichungen der
Europäischen Gemeinschaft 1997, Luxemburg; European Database - Women
in Decision-Making and data by transnational experts.
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1. Electoral system and party system
and their impact on women
Members of the Lower House and the Upper House (Senate) are elected
with different modalities. Those of the Lower House are elected with a mixed
system. 75% of the seats are allotted according to the majority system
in single-member constituencies. The 25% remaining are instead allotted
according to the proportional system (where women were elected the most
often so far). The Senate has the majority system with proportional
adjustment in force. The referendum abrogative of a law or of a governmental
decree is also in force in Italy. It is intended as a direct democratic
instrument requiring a minimum of 500.000 signatures of citizens. The
Italian Constitution in Art. 49, guarantees the right of citizens to join
in and create political parties in order to contribute to the national
policy guidelines. The law of the 26th of May 1999 envisages public financing
to parties in terms of elections reimbursements. These are divided proportionally
to the votes obtained. (As to the impact of this law on women, see 2.3). Apart
from the parties mainly represented in Parliament, there are many other minor
parties. In March 2000, the 45th Italian political party was set up!
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The issue concerning women's right to vote was brought to light by the
early associations of the feminist movements right after the constitution
of the unified Italian State. This pathway, after changing fortunes,
ceased with the uprising of fascism. Women's suffrage in Italy was finally
introduced on the 1st of February 1945 because of a due right and was
achieved by women participating in the struggle for liberation from
fascism. On the 2nd of June 1946, the Italian women voted for the first
time for the Institutional referendum (the choice between monarchy and
republic) and for the constituent Assembly. 21 women were elected and
took part in the drafting of the Italian Constitution. The women elected
sustained the all-levels equality principle, obtaining important results
mainly in regards to labour, wage, and protection of maternity.
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3. Legal framework for the promotion of a balance between men and women in political
decision-making
The fundamental principles can be found in Art.3 of the Italian
Constitution, where the equality and non-discrimination principles
are asserted: "All citizens have equal social dignity and are
equal in front of the law, regardless of differences of sex, race,
language, religion, political opinions". This same article lays the
juridical foundations for the implementation of positive actions:
"It is the duty of the Republic to eliminate economic and social
obstacles, that limit the citizens' freedom and equality, prevent
the full development of the individual and the real participation
of all workers to the political, economic and social organisation
of the country". The equality principle between men and women is
reasserted in Art. 51. In spite of such principles, women's
representation in institutional positions in politics remained
limited in Italy. This is the reason for introducing articles
to inspire a readjustment of the numbers of men and women present
in elective committees at different levels in the mid-90's. These
articles were then passed (law 277\93 for elections at the House
of Representatives, law 81\93 for local elections, law 43\95
regional elections). As a matter of fact, these laws, though with
different provisions, asserted that both sexes had to be present
in the electoral lists at a not-less than 30% rate. In spite
of the results (significant growth in the presence of women)
produced by their enforcement, these articles were abolished by
the Constitutional Court. On August 1995, the Court declared them
illegitimate because they were in conflict with the equality
principle asserted by the Constitution itself! Regarding the
institutions of politics at the local level, a provision already
exists (law 81\93, art. 27) prescribing for municipal and provincial
statutes for promotion procedures for both sexes. Other interesting
cases concern the Public Administration. The legislative decree 29\1993
(amended by the decree 80\1998) envisages, among other things, the
presence of at least 1/3 of women among its members of call for tender's
commissions and, in the context of training, sections aimed at
acquiring and developing "the gender culture in the Public Administration".
Some political parties include in their statutes a quota between 30 and
40% in the different decision-making bodies.
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a. Infrastructure responsible for EO
Italy has two main structures for EO policies.
1) On the 18th of May 1996 (when the Charter of Rome was signed!), a
woman Minister for EO was appointed for the first time in Italy (Mrs Anna
Finocchiaro in Mr. Prodi's 1996/98 Office, Mrs Laura Balbo in Mr. D'Alema's
two terms). Such an appointment was the result of the need to constantly
monitor the gender difference issue in all of the government's policies,
in the hopes of realizing equal opportunities (against any type of discriminations)
and increasing the weight of women in national politics. This need was felt
by a part of the political groups and by the Italian women associations.
It also was felt in the enforcement of the mainstreaming principle, ratified
by Beijing's Platform. As a matter of fact, among the most significant tasks
entrusted to the Minister are:
- coordination of government actions aimed at guaranteeing equal
opportunities and eliminating and preventing all discrimination (determined
by sex, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, etc).
- tasks of normative orientation and proposals concerning the implementation
of the EO policies, and of difference culture policies, etc.
- nomination of representatives of the Prime Minister's Office in technical,
administrative and advisory boards.
During recent years, women Ministers have been in action not only as
representatives of the government, but also in close relation with women
associations. 2) The Commission for equality and equal opportunities
between men and women, the Advisory Board of the Prime Minister's Office, was
established in 1984 by decree of the Prime Minister, as a consequence of the
recommendations produced by Copenhagen's World Conference. The law 164 of 1990
(amended by the Decree of 1996) describes the task of "promoting equality between
sexes, eliminating any direct and indirect discriminations against women and
any obstacles limiting equality." The Commission stands for the "mediator"
between the Government, other public administration representatives and civil
society. It is composed of members from women's associations and movements,
from women representatives from political parties, trade unions, and from women
in cooperation with entrepreneurial contexts. Among its activities are
studies and research, publication events, and information and promotion
campaigns. Last year many schools were in favour of initiatives to select
schoolbooks that brought more awareness to gender difference.
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b. Women's participation in politics as a
governmental objective and strategy
Recently, policies of the Italian government have reflected a
more specific attention to the issue of women's presences in decision-making
contexts. As a matter of fact, in March 1997, according to a proposal of the
Minister for Equal Opportunities, Mrs Anna Finocchiaro, the Prime Minister,
Mr. Romano Prodi issued a Directive intended for all government members, aimed
at "promoting the empowerment of women, acknowledging and guaranteeing freedom
of choice and social equality to men and women". Another indication proving
the changed orientations in the government's strategies is the law for public
financing to political parties. This law (art.3) envisages promoting the
active participation of women in politics so that every party is allotted a
quota equal to at least 5% of electoral reimbursements received for initiatives
oriented to such an objective.
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c. Actions initiated to promote women's
participation in politics
Recently, policies of the Italian government have reflected a more specific
attention to the issue of women's presences in decision-making contexts. As
a matter of fact, in March 1997, according to a proposal of the Minister for
Equal Opportunities, Mrs Anna Finocchiaro, the Prime Minister, Mr. Romano
Prodi issued a Directive intended for all government members, aimed at "promoting
the empowerment of women, acknowledging and guaranteeing freedom of choice
and social equality to men and women". Another indication proving the
changed orientations in the government's strategies is the law for public
financing to political parties. This law (art.3) envisages promoting the
active participation of women in politics so that every party is allotted
a quota equal to at least 5% of electoral reimbursements received for
initiatives oriented to such an objective.
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