Politics

FDP torpedoes Schröder’s Flexi-rate

Kristina Schröder sees no chance of laying down in law her Flexi-rate for more women in management positions before the federal elections in 2013. The responsible party was the coalition partner. The FDP was not prepared to go the legal route, said the family minister. The coalition committee of CDU, CSU and FDP leaders had taken a clear position in this regard. She would, however, continue to fight for her beliefs. Commissioner Viviane Reding has now indicated that instead of Schröder the European Commission might act. The FDP welcomed Schröder's admission as a success for the Liberals. The Flexi-rate provides that companies can themselves decide to what extent they want to increase the number of women. There would be no fixed value. Nevertheless, there are companies for which a target rate of twelve percent is already ambitious, because the proportion of women in their entire workforce is only ten percent, according to the minister.