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The Portuguese government said Wednesday it would introduce legislation designed to boost the number of women appearing on political parties' election lists.
The proposed legislation stipulates that neither sex can take up more than two-thirds of any list.
The proposed bill will also require party lists for local, national and European elections to alternate candidates by sex to ensure women get spots at the top and are elected.
Once the bill becomes law, lists which do not conform to these new rules will be rejected.
"Knowing the parties as I know them, I am prepared to say that if we don't go ahead with this law the result will, without a doubt, be a dilution for many years of the presence of women in political office," Socialist Prime Minister Jose Socrates told reporters.
The bill was announced Wednesday to coincide with International Womens Day. It will be voted on by parliament on March 22.
The Socialists have an outright majority in the 230-seat assembly and the proposed bill will have no trouble in being approved.
There are currently 61 female lawmakers in the assembly, the majority from the Socialist Party.
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Portugal-politics-women
AFP 081949 GMT 03 06
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