Mandatory gender parity in election lists, public offices and company boards

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1. Election lists for the Congress of Deputies, municipal, European, regional and island elections must alternate women and men on a parity basis. The Electoral Board will not accept candidacies that fail to comply.
2. In municipalities with up to 3,000 residents the alternation rule will not apply, and in those with between 3,000 and 5,000 it will be enough that each sex does not exceed 60% or fall below 40%.
3. Bodies such as the Constitutional Court, the Council of State, the Court of Auditors, the Fiscal Council and the General Council of the Judiciary must guarantee that each sex holds at least 40% of their appointments.
4. In the Government, each sex must account for at least 40% of all Vice-Presidencies and Ministries combined.
5. Appointments to senior and management bodies of the State Administration and its public entities, including Secretaries of State and senior management, must respect balanced presence within each ministry and each entity.
6. Listed companies must ensure at least 40% of the underrepresented sex on their boards of directors and in senior management, with reporting duties and sanctions for non-compliance. These measures extend to large unlisted companies considered public-interest entities.
7. Professional associations, unions, business associations, foundations, social sector and social economy organizations, as well as bodies such as RTVE news councils or the State University Student Council, must also apply parity, with gradual adaptation deadlines.
8. The law defines parity representation as each sex not exceeding 60% or falling below 40%, and it enters into force twenty days after publication in the Official State Gazette (BOE).

Who it affects

• Political parties and election candidates: They must present lists alternating women and men or their candidacies will not be accepted.
• The Government and the State Administration: Their appointments to management posts and to Vice-Presidencies and Ministries must respect the 40% minimum for each sex.
• Listed companies and large companies: They must reach 40% of the underrepresented sex on their boards and senior management, with possible sanctions.
• Professional associations, unions, foundations and social entities: Their governing bodies must apply parity, with gradual deadlines up to 2028 or 2029.
• The general public: Election lists and public and private decision-making bodies will be more evenly composed of women and men.

Words worth knowing

Ley orgánica (organic law)

A type of Spanish law reserved for major matters, such as fundamental rights, requiring an absolute majority in the Congress of Deputies to pass.

Listas cremallera (zipper lists)

Election lists where women and men alternate positions, like the teeth of a zipper.

Entidad de interés público (public-interest entity)

A company considered significant because of its activity, size or number of employees, subject to extra obligations.

Junta Electoral (Electoral Board)

The body that oversees compliance with election law for elections and candidacies.

Capitalización bursátil (market capitalization)

The value of a company on the stock market, based on the price of its shares.

It summarizes the law as published in the BOE. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries