Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has announced a new gender equality law that will aim to ensure equal representation of women and men in various aspects of public life, including politics and business.
The law, called the Equal Representation Law, will impose gender parity measures on electoral lists, boards of directors of large companies, and governing boards of professional associations.
Sanchez made the announcement during a Socialist party rally ahead of International Women’s Day, stating that the government’s measures were in favor of feminism and Spanish society as a whole.
The new law will be presented during Tuesday’s cabinet meeting and will then undergo parliamentary debate. The law will require women to make up at least 40% of the management of any listed company with more than 250 workers and an annual turnover of 50 million euros ($53 million).
It will also require parties to offer equal numbers of male and female candidates during elections, with the aim of increasing gender parity in parliament. The law will also mandate that professional associations and juries for public award ceremonies have at least 40% women on their boards.
