Coalition Differs Over Gender Quotas
The Social Democrats have self imposed a gender quota on its list of candidates for the 2015 parliamentary election, while the coalition's other member, the Reform Party, is against such measures.
Social Democrat Secretary General Indrek Saar said his party already has the best gender balance in Parliament with every third MP female and they have set a 40 percent quota for candidate lists for next year's elections, including either the top or the second number.
Martin Kukk, the Reform Party Secretary General, said a mandatory quota would give women an unfair advantage in politics, which would diminish the success of those women who have reached the top without quotas.
He said his party has more female than male members and women should be encouraged more to participate in politics.
Head of IRL's faction in Parliament, Kaia Iva, said her party should impose a one-third quota, beginning from the top of the list, adding that her party, the Social Democrats and the Reform Party all had only one female candidate in the top 10 list at the last parliamentary elections and that should change.