Ex-SPÖ politician: Sexism forces me to resign!

Ex-SPÖ politician: Sexism forces me to resign!

Stefanie Matei, the former SPÖ politician, made serious allegations against her own party after her resignation a month ago. She spoke of sexism within the SPÖ Vorarlberg and explained that this was the main reason for her resignation. Matei, which was previously women's spokeswoman for the SPÖ-Feldkirch, the state women's chairman in Vorarlberg and a member of the Federal Party Board, was in list of six of the upcoming state election in autumn and had hopes for a move into the state parliament.

matei expressly emphasized that her resignation was not related to family or job loads, but rather pointed out the limits that she perceived within the party. They shaked these limits and the acceptance of their overwhelming, which interpreted them as signs of deeply rooted sexism in political culture.

reactions from the party

In response to Mateis allegations, Jeannette Greiter, the deputy state manager of the SPÖ Vorarlberg, said that she considers the allegations to be inexplicable and incomprehensible. Greiter pointed out that Matei's resignation came surprisingly and could be attributed to an SPÖ Federal Presidium meeting. This took place under special conditions, since Mateis trip to Vienna was canceled for cost reasons and thus had to participate online.

Greiter added that she had never experienced disadvantage in the SPÖ Vorarlberg and that the handling within the party was shaped by appreciation. These answers illustrate the tensions that exist in the party about Matei's allegations.

sexism in politics

mateis experiences are not unique. The subject area of sexism in politics is far -reaching and affects many women who are politically committed. In the context of the 2021 Bundestag election campaign, 21 politicians report on their experiences with misogyny, including extreme forms such as threats of murder and insulting comments. Examples are fake nude photos of Annalena Baerbock and sexist insults against Franziska Giffey, who was exposed to anonymous hostility after the dismissal of her doctorate. Even young women who become politically active often have to expect attacked compliments or even rape fantasies, which illustrates the persistent problem of sexism.

In this context, it becomes clear that the discourse beyond sexism in politics goes far beyond individual cases. The persistent disregard and hatred of women in political space urgently must be discussed and combated in order to promote a fairer and inclusive political culture.

mateis decision to raise their voice against sexism within their party could be regarded as a necessary step to put these topics in the foreground and to strengthen the debate about equality and respect in politics. For more information about the challenges with which women are confronted in the political arena, articles on Die Zeit and SPIEGEL ONLINE Valuable views.