This article is to share the history and details of women in the French Senate.
History
editWomen have been able to serve in political office in France since 1944.[1] In 1997, only 5.9% of senators were women.[1] In 2015, 25% of senators were women. [2]
In mid-1999, an amendment was added to the French Constitution mandating gender parity in electoral candidates for senators. [3]
General de Gualle declared in June 23, 1942 that "all men and women will elect the National Assembly". Marthe Simard and Lucie Aubrac were appointed members of the Provisional Consultative Assembly of Algiers:[4]. From 1944-1945, 16 women sat as delegates to this assembly[5] Lucie Aubrac, Madeleine Braun, Gilberte Brossolette, Marie Couette [fr], Claire Davinroy, Andrée Defferre-Aboulker , Alice Delaunay , Martha Desrumaux , Annie Hervé , Marie-Hélène Lefaucheux, Mathilde Gabriel-Péri, Pauline Ramart, Marthe Simard, Marie-Claude Vaillant-Couturier, Marianne Verger , and Andrée Viénot.
In 1946, 6.69% of senators were women, and the percentage decreased until only 1.4% in 1971. As a result of the law of parity, in 2021 women made up a third of the senators.[6]
Election | Number of women | Total number of senators | Percentage |
---|---|---|---|
1946 | 21 | 314 | 6.7% |
1971 | 4 | 283 | 1.4% |
2001 | 35 | 321 | 10.9% |
2004 | 60 | 331 | 18.1% |
2008 | 75 | 343 | 21.9% |
2011 | 77 | 348 | 22.1% |
2014 | 87 | 348 | 25.0% |
2017 | 115 | 348 | 31.8% |
2020 | 121 | 348 | 34.8% |
List of prominent female senators
editName | Term | Region | Party |
---|---|---|---|
Marthe Simard | Resistance Representative | ||
Lucie Aubrac[8] | 1944 | Resistance Representative | |
Jane Vialle[9][10] | 1947–1948 | Ubangui-Chari | APEAN; Association for Evolution of Black Africa |
Éugénie Éboué[10] | 1946–1948 | Guadeloupe | Socialist Party, RFP |
Jacqueline Alduy | 1982–1983 | Pyrénées-Orientales | Not Affiliated |
Viviane Artigalas[11] | 2017– | Hautes-Pyrénées | Socialist Party |
Parliamentary group leaders
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Lambert, Caroline (May 1, 2001). "French Women in Politics: The Long Road to Parity". Brookings. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
- ^ Buchanan, Kelly (2015-03-04). "Women in History: Elected Representatives | In Custodia Legis: Law Librarians of Congress". blogs.loc.gov. Retrieved 2021-09-03.
- ^ Allen, Steve. "The Law on Gender Parity in Politics in France and New Caledonia: A Window into the Future or More of the Same? | Oxford University Comparative Law Forum". Retrieved 2021-10-05.
- ^ "Obituary: Lucie Aubrac". the Guardian. 2007-03-16. Retrieved 2021-10-07.
- ^ "1944-1948 – Left in Paris". Retrieved 2021-10-07.
- ^ "Le Sénat, vigie de la République". LEFIGARO (in French). 2020-09-25. Retrieved 2021-10-20.
- ^ "Les femmes sénateurs - Sénat". www.senat.fr. September 8, 2021.
- ^ Lloyd, C. (2003-09-16). Collaboration and Resistance in Occupied France: Representing Treason and Sacrifice. Springer. ISBN 978-0-230-50392-2.
- ^ Rivet, Nathan (2017-03-08). "Jeanne/Jane Vialle (1906–1953) •". Retrieved 2021-10-05.
- ^ a b Joseph-Gabriel, Annette (2017-03-13). "From Concentration Camps to the Senate: Black Women in the French Resistance". AAIHS. Retrieved 2021-10-05.
- ^ "La sénatrice des Hautes-Pyrénées, Viviane Artigalas, à la commission économique". ladepeche.fr (in French). Retrieved 2021-09-29.
- ^ "Éliane Assassi réélue présidente du groupe communiste au Sénat". Public Senat (in French). 2020-09-30. Retrieved 2021-09-29.