Donald Tusk wants ‘gender balanced EU’ as he vows to end ‘jobs for the boys’ culture
EUROPEAN Council President Donald Tusk is aiming to put an end to “jobs for the boys” - by ensuring at least two women are appointed to top jobs in the European Union.
Mr Tusk outlined his vision at the press briefing at the end of an informal summit in Romania. He said: “Gender balance means at least two women. “Whether this is possible - we will see, but it is my plan and my personal ambition and I felt very strong support from almost everyone in this aspect.”
Mr Tusk has been handed the task of finding names for four top EU jobs - the President of the European Commission to replace Jean-Claude Juncker, his own job as of European Council president, the head of the European Central Bank and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the EU’s top diplomat.
He said he was planning to have nominations agreed in June, stating his intention in negotiations with the European Parliament and various member states to maintain a balance among candidates in terms of geographies, gender and party affiliation.
Mr Tusk also stressed EU leaders would not automatically accept candidates put forward by the European Parliament.
However, he said national government leaders understood any successful candidate would need to win majority parliamentary backing as well.
He also accepted gender parity at the top of the bloc might be difficult to achieve.
Avoiding any mention of the differences or candidate names, Mr Tusk said the leaders hope “we can provide clarity on all these posts already in June”.
He added making progress would depend “on the goodwill of everyone involved”.
Currently there is just one woman in a top EU post - Federica Mogherini, the high representative for foreign affairs.
Corinna Horst, deputy director of the German Marshall Fund of the United States think tank, is part of the Brussels Binder initiative to improve female representation in policy debates.
She told Politico: “The system - the EU institutions, political parties, campaigns - has not been able to adjust yet to create space for new, more diverse representation.
“And women need to step up too. Demand the space.”
Angela Merkel, who is due to step down as German Chancellor in 2021, has been touted as a possible replacement for Mr Juncker, and would represent a massive coup for the bloc.
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German national Martin Selmayr, who as general secretary of the European Commission is Mr Juncker’s right-hand man, is believed to be a supporter.
However, Mrs Merkel herself has ruled herself out, instead backing Manfred Weber, Spitzenkandidat (“lead candidate”) for the European People’s Party, to which she belongs.
Margrethe Vestager, the Danish competition commissioner has also been suggested as a possible appointee, as has Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite.