Mary Robinson

Last week, spending time on my beloved social networking site laughing with amusement at some people’s lost sheep on a game synonymous to town of agriculture… and checking out one of my friend’s baby photos I received a call to arms from our European Commission Vice President herself Margot Wallstrom. I responded whole heartedly.

I was asked to join a group called “Mary Robinson for President of the European Council”. In one week the group has gathered 3,366 members (I’m sure it will be different when you check it) but what does this actually mean?

According to one member nothing “as this is a male dominated world” and her chances will actually be slim to none of being elected as Europe’s first Council President as provided for by the (now) infamous Lisbon Treaty.

Then comes the point about the need for at least one of the EU’s top jobs (this is assuming that Commission President – Monsieur Barroso, and Parliament President Buzek are ‘top jobs’) to go to a woman. Why, you ask? To help us get closer to 50/50 representation.

What’s this 50/50 representation? It’s a campaign to even out the number of women in powerful positions as all positions of authority seem to be dominated by the males of the species. Would it make a difference if the person was a man or a woman as long as they were doing the best job possible? Well, one of the other candidates propelled so far (almost out of nowhere with twitter and facebook campaigns to match) is not very well liked in Europe, or the world, whereas Mary Robinson is a former President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner who is still practicing in exceptional work through her foundation Realizing Rights in New York.

She’s also the Honorary President of Oxfam International, “so we’re supportive of this move,” said Elise Ford, the Head of Oxfam in Brussels who I spoke to (see here).

Another potential candidate for the role...

The Vice Chairwoman of the Development Committee in the European Parliament Corina Cretu MEP also shared some thoughts on female leadership with me on this occasion saying that “Maybe the time has come to chose a woman for this position. Sadly, Norway is not an EU member, because the former Norwegian prime-minister Gro Harlem Brundtland would have been an excellent candidate. As is the former President of Ireland.

“A woman at the head of the 27 member states would also mean a great deal to the reduction of the inequality in the way men and women are treated, inequalities that have increased in the context of the economic crisis. I am a supporter of such a proposal and I believe that I am not the only one,” Cretu said.

When isn’t it time to have a woman President? With one in the Human Rights field making sure that they are being upheld?

One of the Administrators of the group Claire Hanna sent us all a note this week also commenting:

“It appears that Mary Robinson’s candidacy has public and political support across Europe and is viable. It is important that we build on this momentum and increase the possibility of an exceptional and progressive woman taking on such a key role in Europe.”

Especially in the next, progressive, post Lisbon era (almost).

Here’s to you Mrs Robinson was originally published on New Europe.