The …end of the women’s era in Papandreou’s government

When the first government was sworn in on October 2009, surely PM Giorgos Papandreou failed to convey the message for an austere, tight cabinet, since his staff numbered 40 people.

However, another message was clearly conveyed: special emphasis on the female element, as in that government there were no fewer than ten ladies, and many of them in important posts.

These were Louka Katseli, Tina Birbili, Anna Diamantopoulou, Katerina Batzeli, Mariliza Xenogiannakopoulou as ministers, Theodora Tzakri, Evi Christofilopoulou, Fofi Gennimata, Angela Gerekou, lest we forget, with the percentage of the fair sex reaching 22,5% inside the government.

Last September’s reshuffle overturned the governmental proportions, since the members became 48, thus setting up one of the largest governments in political history after the junta.

The female quota dropped to 18,75%, but again the ladies involved were nine: as ministers Luka Katseli, Tina Birbili and Anna Diamantopoulou, and as deputies Theodora Tzakri, Elpida Tsouri, Fofi Gennimata, Evi Christophilopoulou, Anna Dalara and Milena Apostolaki.

Then came t he reshuffle of June 17th, with the female gender being threatened with …extinction. The three ladies of the Education ministry – Anna Diamantopoulou, Fofi Gennimata, Evi Christofilopoulou – and vice minister Mariliza Xenogiannakopoulou are the token ladies, but in a government with 4a members they do not even cover 10% of its composition.