Taking part in politics is women’s basic human right. But even though they comprise half of the world’s population, there aren’t many women actively involved in politics; women in top positions are but a few. This is true of Europe; it is also true of Bulgaria. To overcome this gender inequality, the European Parliament has recommended that the percentage of women in top positions in the EU member-countries reach 30 by 2015 and 40 by 2020. And the European Parliament elections in May this year will be a significant indication in this respect. Are political parties in Bulgaria prepared to have more women in electable places on their tickets at the forthcoming European Parliament vote? Radio Bulgaria conducted vox pop interviews with Bulgarian women MEPs and MPs and the results indicate that at a European level, Bulgaria is among the top countries in this respect, though at a local level it is lagging behind. “GERB is a democratic party with a clear-cut decision-making mechanism, including decisions on who should be on its ticket for the European elections,” said GERB\European People’s Party MEP Maria Gabriel, who received the European of the Year award in 2013.

“This is one of the good practices and GERB party can only stand to gain from it. It sets a good example how women and men can be represented equally in the ballot papers for the European Parliament elections. If we take a look at the issue at a national level, it is very important that we note that it is not merely the number of men and women that matters – the candidates must have certain qualities, an immaculate CV and expertise. Herein lies the difference in the way women are represented at a national level, where they seem to need more self-confidence so that they may come out into the limelight and take responsibility. This is reflected in the way ballot papers are compiled. If there were more women, the ballot papers themselves would be different. Perhaps this is just a matter of time. There is still a lot to be done at the EPP – we are still far behind the European Parliament champions - the Greens. We are somewhere around the middle at 30-35 percent and this is not satisfactory. All the more so that to my mind it is not the number of women that matters so much as the posts they occupy, posts where decisions are made. In this sense, we from the EPP are still in the debt of women in Europe. The party has 10 deputy chairs, of them only 2 are women. But this will enable us over the next five years to declare gender equality a priority and that includes women in top positions. I am happy to say that thanks to our efforts at the European Parliament Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality, and my own enormous responsibility as EPP spokesperson and coordinator, this priority is still on the programme which is to be voted at the forthcoming EPP congress in Dublin. In itself the message we are sending out is very positive. Besides a Bulgarian contribution, this is the contribution of all women from the EPP.”

Fifty percent of the representatives of the Bulgarian Socialist Party in the Party of European Socialists group are women, MP Mariana Boyadjieva says and adds:

“We have fought hard and now the party’s statutes stipulate a no less than 40 percent gender equality norm. Now, there are 55 women out of the total of 182 members of the party’s top administrative body – the National Council, or over 30 percent. Of course, we still encounter difficulties and problems. But we have always had campaigns aimed as asserting these requirements in practice. We are currently nominating our candidates for the European Parliament elections. So, far 101 names have been put forward for MEPs by the local party structures on the Bulgarian Socialist Party ticket; of them 27 are women. But the important thing is that many of them have a great number of previous nominations. This is a process that will be completed at the BSP congress on February 8. Another important issue for us is the involvement of women from the BSP in leading positions at the European organizations. For example, in 2009 Denitsa Zlateva was elected member of the Bureau of the Party of European Socialists – Women. She was then replaced at that post by Marusya Lyubcheva. Denitsa was elected Vice-President of the Socialist International Women. These are high posts for Bulgarian women. But the election of Irina Bokova Director-General of UNESCO is truly an honour for all women in this country. This has boosted our drive for better women’s representation.

How prepared are the liberals in Bulgaria and the EU to have better female representation? Here is Filiz Husmenova, Movement for Rights and Freedoms/Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE).

“There is a sufficient number of women in the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe and at the party’s leading posts,” Filiz Husmenova says. “But I am hoping that over the next term of office – 2014-2020 – women will be better represented. The Movement for Rights and Freedoms will go through its own nomination procedures. There are many women’s associations in all municipalities across the country. And there are many active women with good professions and careers who are members. I sincerely hope men and women will be represented in a 50:50 ratio.”

“ALDE put forward the idea of having more women at the European institutions, not just the European Parliament, but top positions within the EU structures and the political groups,” Antonia Parvanova, National Movement for Stability and Progress/ALDE. “ALDE put forward the idea of having more women at the European Commission, of a woman – European Ombudsman, of representation on the European Central Bank board, in the administration of the European agencies. I myself feel confident that I am from a parliamentary group where this policy is inherent. And with the consistency ALDE pursues it at every administrative level and the involvement of women in politics, the liberals are setting an example.”

English version: Milena Daynova