Spanish right wing media harshly attack the women in the Zapatero cabinet

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Spanish right wing media harshly attack the women in the Zapatero cabinet
By h.b. - Apr 15, 2008 - 8:00 PM
ALSO SEE : • Spanish Defence Minister goes home after giving birth to her first child - May 24, 2008 - 9:52 AM
• Spanish Defence Minister gives birth to her first child - May 19, 2008 - 9:19 PM

Spanish Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, with his new cabinet - Photo EFE
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The choices of the Prime Minister for the Minister of Defence and Minister of Equality have been particularly attacked in the right wing press in Spain today.
The right wing press in Spain on Tuesday harshly attacked the decision of the Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, to name a majority of women in his new cabinet, and named sections of the armed forces as being upset that the Catalan, Carme Chacón, who is also seven months pregnant, had been selected as the new Minister for Defence.

Chacón was called ‘la del bombo’ – 'her of the bass drum', by David Gistau in the El Mundo newspaper, who went on to question her patriotic spirit. Writing in ABC, Antonio Burgos said he accepted her, but ‘as a pet for the battalion, regiment, brigade or division’.

Some media claim military sources as saying that the choice of Chacón was a ‘provocation’ as ‘she wants to turn the armed forces into a non-governmental organisation with guns’.
Speaking on the COPE radio station the President of the minority Spanish Military Association, AME, said it was ‘a blunder which would end up who knows where’.

The appointment of 31 year old Bibiana Aído as the youngest minister in history, at the new Ministry for Equality was also attacked harshly. The Partido Popular’s leader in Valencia, Francisco Camps, said she was an ‘eco-pacifist who comes with a guitar’.

Antonio Burgos from ABC said she was a flamenquita, referring to her past job in the promotion of flamenco, while Federico Jiménez Losantos, from the COPE radio station, asked whatever had she done to be chosen as a minister – Perhaps she had won a tournament for making the most silly remarks, he said.
Naming Aído was for Iñaki Ezkerra from La Razón, like something from Big Brother, but he added he did not know if was from George Orwell or the television show.

Federico Quevedo from Elconfidencial.com said that Zapatero was ‘turning equality of the sexes into a new state religion’.

Meanwhile the just re-elected 71 year old Italian, Silvio Berlusconi, has also commented on Zapatero’s choice of cabinet, describing it as 'too sentimental'. He said that in Italy men were dominant in politics, and it was not easy for women to be at the centre of governmental activity.
Italian papers responded to the new Zapatero team with headlines such as ‘Iberian revolution, the Government is a woman’ and Zapatero ‘Feminista Máximo’.

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ALSO SEE :
• Spanish Defence Minister goes home after giving birth to her first child - May 24, 2008 - 9:52 AM
• Spanish Defence Minister gives birth to her first child - May 19, 2008 - 9:19 PM
• Defence Minister ends her visit to the troops in Lebanon and Bosnia - Apr 29, 2008 - 1:00 PM
• Spanish Defence Minister visits troops in the Lebanon - Apr 28, 2008 - 7:37 AM
• Spanish Defence Minister upsets the troops with Internet controls - Apr 25, 2008 - 7:47 AM
• Spanish Defence Minister returns from flying visit to the troops in Afghanistan - Apr 20, 2008 - 9:18 AM
• Spanish pregnant Defence Minister heads for Afghanistan - Apr 19, 2008 - 8:59 AM
• José Bono defends the appointment of Carme Chacón as Minsiter for Defence - Apr 17, 2008 - 2:15 PM
• King Juan Carlos opens the ninth legislature of the Spanish parliament - Apr 16, 2008 - 5:26 PM
• Bibiana Aído Almagro – new Spanish Minister for Equality - Apr 14, 2008 - 6:10 PM

Comments

e.m.mcardle
15 Apr 2008, 20:18

Thank God for the first cultured, modern, young,educated,uncomplexed and brave Spanish President, particularly compared to the 'old woman' Rajoy amd to Charlie Chaplin Aznar.

Louisa
15 Apr 2008, 23:21

It´s modern, it´s fresh, it´s young.....good on Zappo for dealing directly with the ´machisismo´ all too comon in Spain.

Let´s watch Bibiana eventually come back to Cadiz and oust the PP mayor.

The comments from the right wing newspapers are full of their usual vicious attacks. Envy, envy, envy. Must be hard to swallow what they see as an attack on their core - the military...eat it.

As for Italy...piles of rubbish headed by a man w too many ´small man´complexes. Spain by-passes their Latin cousins with the speed of Alonso.

Jorge
16 Apr 2008, 05:59

Its high time Latin countries woke up to the fact that over 50% of their population are women. Berlusconi is an ass, anyway. Spain is continually progressive and hopeful, and we should all attempt to emulate it.

Paloma
16 Apr 2008, 08:58

I have no objection if these women are criticized for their qualifications, but to criticize them for being women is ridiculous and laughable, considering the mess that men have made of the world. There are very few jobs for which a real requirement is to possess male gonads, and one of them is illegal. It is time for old gits like Berlusconi to be put out to pasture. Along with his "equipment." Golda Meir, Indira Ghandi, Benazir Bhutto, Margaret Thatcher, all stand head and shoulders - and all other body parts for that matter - over his sorry little self.

Nat
16 Apr 2008, 09:25

So the right-wing media are off on their usual spiels, are they? Fortunately, the majority of the Spanish people don't agree with the right wing press or right wing politics. I hope Chacon and Aido succeed with flying colors, and if they don't, they deserve the same bashing that their male counterparts would have received. Fair is fair. But I agree with Paloma, leave out the sexist rubbish. My daughter is in every way equal to my son.

Carlo
16 Apr 2008, 10:10

Roll on the next four years so that we can have another opportunity to get rid of this maniac once and for all.

petereater
16 Apr 2008, 11:01

Sorry, but a seven months pregnant woman in a key position is not a good idea.

No feminist wants to admit it, but ask any businessperson (male or female) and they will all tell you the same thing. When a key member of staff becomes pregnant, it can spell disaster for an organization.

Er_Guiri
16 Apr 2008, 12:13

3 months and Chacón will be on Maternal Leave. But the right wing press' comments are laughable: they're just spitefull playground jibes, due to the fact they don't really know what to attack: if you can't say something intelligent, don't say anything at all! COPE are the best at that, they can never say anything nice, and have to make things up. And the "pet" remark from Antonio Burgos is nasty: he could be referring to her reminding him of the Legion's Goat, and that's just rude (especially considering the jokes made over the years!)

Er_Guiri
16 Apr 2008, 12:19

P.S. I would also like to point out one more thing. I'm not being sexist, just stating a historical fact, anyone can do the research and come to the same conclusion: Women politicians usually muck-up more that male. Let's hope that this time (since they can back each other up) this doesn't happen.

David
16 Apr 2008, 17:29

I have no problem with women vs men in any post, but having an unmarried knocked-up woman in a high post is ridiculous. Shades of Monica Lewinsky. How can she offer any kind of example for morals among the troops?

Paloma
16 Apr 2008, 18:37

Er_Guiri - Talk is cheap - let's see your evidence that women politicians "muck-up" more than male! There simply is no historical evidence to support this silly claim. Surely not more than "Muck Up" Berlusconi, who can't even get the garbage collected! Let's stop looking at people's genitals and act like modern humans.

Sandra
16 Apr 2008, 21:57

David: What about all the unmarried fathers, fornicators and adulterous men in leadership positions - what kind of example have they offered for morals among the troops or elsewhere?! Your argument is totally one-sided. And I'm sure the Spanish troops themselves have never engaged in any such "illegitimate" relationships - they must be shocked!

Louisa
16 Apr 2008, 23:54

David did you move to Spain because you wanted to live in a ´machist´country? Time to say goodbye...

Girls and intelligent males...lets pass of such clowns...

Vamos a ver...this lass is into the aparatus of the State and might well be being preped to take over as the next President. This job is potentialy just a tour of one of the departments of state. Time will tell...´n Carlo four years ahhh, enjoy....

Luso
25 Apr 2008, 15:57

Don't pay attention to David. He has only two neurons and one of them was occupied trying to pur words together

Niki
29 Apr 2008, 10:06

I think it's great they appointed this lady. What's the difference in productivity between a pregnant woman and a man wasting time divorcing and on the prowl for a new replacement, while doubling his salary, as in France?

Luis Armondo
20 May 2008, 21:44

it should have NOTHING to do with ´machisismo´ if your a femmenista then your no better! the point is all that should be dropped! is she can do the job GOOD FOR HER LETS HAVE HER! only if shes the best for the job. im conservative, but im for whoever can do the best best job, man or woman. is she was chosen just b/c shes a women and we 'need' more women then it was a WRONG choice, if she was chosen b/c she really can do the job, and damn well? then YES!!!

Lyra
12 Jun 2008, 22:29

I am shocked by the comments of Carlo and David - are you for real? Do you seriously believe that Carme's position as either a woman or a pregnant woman makes her a bad politician? If you see pregnancy or gender as a barrier to success, Carme's appointment must demonstrate that she was an outstanding candidate for the post - as she triumphed over all male competition.

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