Marwah Rizqy’s decision to leave politics after this mandate highlights the inability of our political system to transform itself to better accommodate women.
Like many women who are keen on politics, I was heartbroken when I listened to the excellent MP Marwah Rizqy announce that she would not seek a new mandate in two years.
Her decision to leave politics during the next elections so as not to “be a part-time mother,” she says, is tearing her apart. On the verge of tears, the elected liberal explained that she would have liked to be able to combine everything, but cannot.
Quebec thus loses a most inspiring female role model, capable of rising above the fray and working in a transpartisan manner. As evidenced by the shower of praise that followed his announcement.
More women
This comes as we continue to claim that we want to attract more women into politics, where there are too few of them.
Of course, we must respect this decision of Mr.me Rizqy, which is personal and fits into a particular context. In addition, the MP has the immense merit of completing her mandate.
But it emerges that there is still much to do to transform a world forged by centuries of masculine political tradition.
Guilt and conditions
In his book The sex of powerwhere she interviewed around sixty Quebec politicians, journalist Jocelyne Richer addresses the phenomenon of the guilt of elected mothers.
The best way to combat this feeling is to put conditions in place that will help alleviate it. It would be a mistake to give up as a society, under the pretext that it will always be like this, or that it is up to mothers to adapt, a general message which often emerges and which Mme Richer. Other countries have done it, and Quebec must work harder at it.
