Representatives of the Platform of Women MPs of the eleventh legislature have encouraged women to run in this autumn’s local election. By the newly adopted Electoral Code, a reform was launched to facilitate the running by women as candidates and for elective posts. The procedure for collecting signatures was simplified and the age from which persons can compete for the post of mayor was lowered, it was noted in the launch of a nationwide campaign entitled “Women Running”, IPN reports.
Doina Gherman, who heads the Parliament’s commission on foreign policy and European integration, said they expect the number of women running for mayor to increase. Currently, only 22% of the mayors are women. Studies show that the people living in settlements where the mayors are women have greater confidence in the local public administration. The order and discipline there is enhanced. There are more projects and investments there. “We want minimum 50% of the mayors, district, municipal or local councilors who will be elected this year to be women,” stated the MP.
The chairwoman of the Central Election Commission of Moldova Angelica Caraman said that to be registered as a contender, an independent candidate must present the subscription lists with at least 2,000 and at most 2,500 signatures of supporters with the right to vote to the CEC. For women, this figure is lower – at least 1,000 signatures. The procedure for collecting signatures was also simplified and a voter can now support more than one candidate by their signature.
Also, the age from which a person can compete for the post of mayor was reduced from 25 to 23. There are about 42,000 women in this age bracket. “This is a potential we expect to see on the lists of candidates and on the lists of elected persons,” said Angelica Caraman, noting that besides social and economic factors that prevent the women from running actively at the local level, there is also the persisting prejudice about women. This year, the CEC will conduct a broad campaign to combat sexism, harassment and violence against women in elections.
The head of the Parliament’s commission on public administration and regional development Larisa Voloh said that as part of the national campaign “Women Running”, the women can prove that they have the capacity and can be involved in the solving of problems at the local and national levels. “I don’t think that a policy hostile to women is now possible. The women should be motivated by new policies that would help them realize their power and would prove that they are able to assume particular roles and duties in society,” noted the MP.
Dominika Stojanoska, UN Women Representative to Moldova, underlined the important role played by women in politics and decision making. In Moldova, the representation of women in politics brings multiple important subjects on the political agenda, such as combating of violence against women, including against women in politics. “We will support this campaign and will promote the idea that the women are necessary in the local administration,” stated Dominika Stojanoska.
Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu said that if the parties obey the gender representation quota in parties’ administrative bodies, they will later also ensure this on the lists of candidates for local and parliamentary elections.
