Switzerland votes against gender quota

The decision has been taken by 16 votes against and 9 pro, thus rejecting a motion made in parliament.

With that decision, the commission does not express in any way against a better representation of the woman in the country's government, Sfr.ch wrote. But, the commission has stressed, it is about a political and social requirement that does not belong to the constitution.

The minority, which voted in favour, has defended the position that an equal representation of genders in the country's executive is equally important as representing language and geographical regions in this same executive. And this representation is already set in the constitution.

Currently, the Federal Council (the Swiss government) with 7 members makes up five men and two women, albinfo.ch. The two women who hold the minister's posts are: Doris Leuthard from CVP/ PDC and Simonetta Sommaruga, from SP/PS.

At different times in this compound, three women have been at the maximum.