Tags: Italy | Napolitano | wise men | women

Italy President Under Fire for Omitting Women From 'Wise Men' Group

Sunday, 31 March 2013 11:48 AM EDT

ROME — Italian President Giorgio Napolitano faced criticism on Sunday for failing to name any women to the 10-strong "wise men" panel of experts he appointed to help find a way out of the political deadlock created by last month's election.

The group of advisers, including a former head of the constitutional court, the chief of statistics agency ISTAT, a board member of the Bank of Italy and senior politicians from the center-right and center-left blocs in parliament, are due to meet for the first time on Tuesday.

"It's sad, very sad. The fact that there are 10 men and not a single woman is sad," said former European Commissioner Emma Bonino, one of Italy's most prominent campaigners for equal rights for women in politics.

"One thing I can say. This commission does not reflect the makeup of our society. It denies the presence of women in society, it isn't a far-sighted choice," she told the daily La Repubblica.

While Italy's election failed to produce a clear result, it did yield what has been hailed as a positive change of direction in terms of a big increase in women parliamentarians to around 31 percent from 20 percent previously.

Criticisms of the failure to represent women on the advisory panel came on Twitter from figures including Giulia Bongiorno, one of Italy's most prominent lawyers, and television presenter Michelle Hunziker, who said: "I can see things aren't getting any better."

Daily newspaper Corriere della Sera said in a front page article: "As usual there isn't a woman."

Italian women have long struggled for equality and have the third-lowest level of employment of any country in the 34-member Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), ahead of only Greece, Mexico and Turkey. 

© 2025 Thomson/Reuters. All rights reserved.


Europe
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano faced criticism on Sunday for failing to name any women to the 10-strong "wise men" panel of experts he appointed to help find a way out of the political deadlock created by last month's election.
Italy,Napolitano,wise men,women
288
2013-48-31
Sunday, 31 March 2013 11:48 AM
Newsmax Media, Inc.

Sign up for Newsmax’s Daily Newsletter

Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox.

(Optional for Local News)
Privacy: We never share your email address.
Join the Newsmax Community
Read and Post Comments
Please review Community Guidelines before posting a comment.
 
 
TOP

Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. American. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc.

NEWSMAX.COM
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
NEWSMAX.COM
© Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved