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Greek female deputies stated that they were victims of verbal abuse on the part of their colleagues of the opposite sex. During a meeting of the parliamentary commission for gender equality, female representatives of some parties defined the attitude towards them as sexist.

The commission reported that the specific acts had intensified over the past month, the majority of the cases relating to a humiliating attitude towards the statements by female deputies as well as to sexist comments on the clothing of some of them.

Female representatives of different political parties proposed the imposition of fines and exemplary punishments on the attackers. New Democracy deputy Anna Karamanli proposed fines, cuts in the parliamentary compensation and depriving the abusers of the right to speak during the meetings of the parliamentary commissions, pointing out that male deputies must stop behaving like this because there is a risk for this attitude to transfer to the general public.

According to SYRIZA deputy Maria Stambouli the matter should be discussed in the commission on ethics as well. The opinion of Odysseas Voudouris, a deputy of the group of Independent Democrats (established by some of the deputies disaffiliated from the parliamentary groups of PASOK and SYRIZA – author’s note) is that the cases of verbal abuse should be recorded and prejudices be discussed.

His female colleague from New Democracy Georgia Batsara said she was offended as a woman since a deputy had called her "garter". "That was the most insulting thing one could tell a member of parliament."

Chairwoman of the commission and a deputy of New Democracy Catherine Papakosta said that, lately, the cases of "verbal abuse based on gender" had become more frequent. "It is absolutely unacceptable for colleagues in parliament to behave to the others in such a sexist manner," she stressed.

Papakosta had however distanced herself from the assumptions that female deputies Zoe Konstandopoulou from SYRIZA and Rachel Makri from Independent Greeks would file lawsuits in connection with the definitions addressed to them during the meeting outside the building of the former state broadcaster ERT.

The events in question had taken place on 11 November 2013, hours after the police had interrupted the occupation of the building. Zoe Konstandopoulou had filed a complaint to the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court that her attempt to enter the building had been stopped and she had become the subject of abuse on the part of policemen. Shortly after that, she had found herself at the entrance of the media and started shouting, "The policemen are pushing me, call the prosecutor. Help."

Meanwhile, her colleague from Independent Greeks Rachel Makri had climbed on the door with the help of her colleague from SYRIZA Dimitris Stratoulis, shouting slogans.

"This story has gone beyond the parliament. It would be better to find a political and institutional solution to it. When faced with anti-parliamentary behaviour, the parliament, its president and his deputies have to intervene," said Papakosta.

Catherine Papakosta’s words had provoked a reaction on the part of Rachel Makri’s colleague in Independent Greeks, Maria Tsroucha who stated that the parliament could not interfere with, or hamper, the initiation of a trial when it was related to a case of sexism ​​in parliament.