By Andy McSmith
Wednesday, 16 April 2008
Reporting for Independent UK
For the first time in history, unless you believe the
ancient Greek myth of the Amazons, a European
country has a government in which more women than
men hold positions of power. The new Spanish
cabinet, sworn in by the socialist Prime Minister Jose
Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, has nine women alongside
eight men, including Spain's first woman Defence
minister, Carme Chacon, and its youngest-ever
cabinet minister, the 31-year-old minister for equality,
Bibiana Aido.
This is the country whose exaggerated respect for
masculine values added the word "machismo" to the
English language. Elderly Spaniards can recall life
under General Francisco Franco, when no woman
could open a bank account, apply for a passport or
sign a contract without her husband's permission.
The idea that a woman might serve in the army was,
of course, out of the question. They were first allowed
in 20 years ago, and now make up nearly a fifth of the
total strength of Spain's armed forces.
