Germany’s parliament is more female than it was
But parity is still a long way off
“A political man is disgusting, but a political woman is appalling…In history there are no more cruel phenomena than political women,” wrote Richard Wagner to Franz Liszt, his fellow composer, about Ortrud, the sorceress in his opera “Lohengrin”. Wagner was a misogynist and an anti-Semite as well as a musical genius, but he was not alone in his dislike of political women. Well into the 20th century, many Germans thought women should concern themselves only with “Kinder, Küche, Kirche” (children, kitchen, church).
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “It’s logical”
From the November 5th 2022 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Europe
Meet Europe’s Gaullists, Atlanticists, denialists and Putinists
As Donald Trump returns, so do Europe’s old schisms over how to defend itself
Inside Europe, border checks are creeping back
Voters and politicians are worried about unauthorised migrants
The EU is worried about sensitive exports to competitors and foes
A lot of bureaucracy will ensue
A day of drama in the Bundestag
Friedrich Merz, Germany’s probable next chancellor, takes a huge bet and triggers uproar
Amid talk of a ceasefire, Ukraine’s front line is crumbling
An ominous defeat in the eastern town of Velyka Novosilka
The French government’s survival is now in Socialist hands
Moderates attempt to move away from the radicals