In the CSU, the expanded quota of women for district boards, which failed two years ago at the party congress, could again become a controversial topic. “As soon as the direct-dialing in all associations has been completed, we will check the implementation of the target quotas and evaluate the results for the further course of action. If we do not make any progress with the help of the voluntary commitment, the introduction of a mandatory women’s quota has to be put on the table again.” said the chairwoman of the CSU women’s union, Ulrike Scharf, on Monday in Munich.
In October 2019, the CSU base had voted against a mandatory 50 percent women quota for district boards, also supported by party leader Markus Söder. Scharf emphasized that the future viability of parties is largely dependent on women: “We are the lifeblood of a modern, cosmopolitan people’s party like the CSU.” The proportion of women in parliaments, municipal bodies and, above all, in internal party structures is still shockingly low. “Our society is not represented correctly – that has to change now.” Voters can only be won over with equal political participation by women and men.
In the CSU, a quota of women of 40 percent has been in force on state and district boards for almost ten years. And in the narrower boards – chairmen, vice-presidents, secretaries, treasurers – there is now even a mandatory 50 percent quota. A party congress last October, however, rejected a majority of the party leaders’ plans to expand the quota to include district boards.