Women quota draws backlash in DUP

Women quota draws backlash in DUP

By Kang Hyun-kyung The main opposition Democratic United Party’s (DUP) plan for a 15 percent quota for women in the selection of candidates to run in the April general election on its ticket is being opposed by some male potential candidates. On Tuesday, 10 aspiring politicians who had applied for DUP candidacy in the election, held a news conference at the National Assembly to urge the leadership to scrap the quota. They claim the rule constitutes reverse discrimination, questioning whether placing more women in politics was such an urgent issue. They say the majority of women who have applied for party selection are either sitting lawmakers or renowned politicians who are already in advantageous positions, compared to political novices. According to them, the 15 percent quota will hurt male candidates. They have sent a protest letter to the DUP leadership signed by 30 male politicians. They also plan to visit senior DUP members to urge them to reverse their decision on the quota. Proponents said the liberal party adopted the rule in order to encourage more women to join politics to better represent their interests. The current rate of women in politics _ 13.7 percent in the legislature _ is insufficient to represent the best interests of women, they said. The debate comes as the DUP leadership pushed the quota Monday. Members of the selection committee will pick a total of 246 candidates who will run in the National Assembly elections on April 11 on the DUP ticket. Of these, the DUP leadership will pick 74 (30 percent) in a top-down manner, meaning senior members will place who they believe are competent candidates in certain districts. These are dubbed “strategic constituencies.” The remaining 70 percent of candidates will be determined through competitions where people who have expressed willingness to join the campaign as delegates via phone or the Internet, will cast votes for their preferred choice. These delegates can either cast their votes by voting in the districts or via mobile phone. But voting through mobile phones remains uncertain as it requires a revision of the current Election Law which prohibits it. The ruling Saenuri Party is opposed to mobile voting as it is concerned about possible fraud. Currently, 39 female candidates have registered as DUP candidates. If the 15-percent quota is applied, two women will be eliminated. This indicates competition among women candidates is easier than that of their male counterparts. Previously the liberal party adopted a female quota of 8 percent in the selection of candidates in the previous National Assembly election in 2008.