The Polish Parliament has approved a bill which is to promote greater sexual equality in the country’s political life.

According to the new legislation, at least 35 percent of all candidates on the lists of all parties running for seats in the 460-seat lower house must be women. The rule will not apply to elections to the 100-seat upper house, the Senate.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk welcomed the new regulations but said that setting the quota as 50 percent would be a better solution as it would ensure fully equal representation of men and women.

However, Tusk admitted that there were different views on the issue within his own Civic Platform party. Ten of its deputies, including party executive Jaroslaw Gowin and former justice minister Andrzej Czuma, voted against the legislation for more women deputies. As a result, they are to pay a fine for violating their party’s voting directives.

At present, women account for some 20 percent of deputies in the lower house and for only 8 percent of senators. The parliamentary elections are scheduled for the autumn of 2011. (mk/jb)