Doris Schmidauer launches initiative to increase female political representation

In St. Andrä, Carinthia, activist Doris Schmidauer launched the “Say Yes to Politics” event series, aimed at increasing the visibility and participation of women in political roles. The event, held in collaboration with mayors Maria Knauder and Silvia Häusl-Benz, serves as the start of a tour across all Austrian federal states.

During the meeting, Schmidauer highlighted the current gender imbalance in local government, noting that women constitute half the population but remain underrepresented in municipal offices. She emphasized the importance of women taking on responsibility and supporting one another rather than feeling the need to be experts in every field.

Carinthian Governor Daniel Fellner also participated, advocating for the early promotion of young girls to foster political awareness. He stated that diverse perspectives are essential to sustaining democracy and called for both men and women to work together to reduce underrepresentation.