Gender Equality: Europe’s First Female-Majority Parliament Elected In Iceland

Picture courtesy AP

In a major boost for gender equality, Iceland has elected a parliament with female majority.

Iceland thus becomes the first European nation, and among a handful in the world, with a majority of female legislators.

After all votes were counted on Sunday, female candidates held 33 seats in Iceland’s 63-seat parliament, reported the Irish Examiner.

The three parties in the outgoing coalition government, led by Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir, won 37 seats, and looks likely to continue in power.

According to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Rwanda has the maximum 61% female legislators. The other countries with just over 50% women in parliament are Cuba, Nicaragua and Mexico.

Worldwide, just over a quarter of legislators are women, according to IPU data.