Spanish parties to have 40-per-cent female candidates

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Madrid (dpa) - Spain is introducing a female quota for all electoral lists, which will force political parties to give at least 40 per cent of their candidacies to women, press reports said Friday.

The quota is also valid for men, who must make up at least 40 per cent of candidates.

All the parties backed the "equality law" except for the opposition conservatives, who abstained in Thursday's vote.

The law also establishes other measures promoting equality of the sexes, such as a 15 days' paternity leave for men and the obligation for companies employing more than 250 people to propose "equality plans" to their employees.

The law is still pending approval from the senate.