Mr Chirac may be a male chauvinist at heart, but he can see the electoral advantages of a female mayor for Paris.

ECONOMIST: France

They all happent o be largely be old salesman, which is one of the male chauvinist anti-female people I have ever dealt with.

FORBES: Connect

Derek Manford, the chairman, is himself a reformed male chauvinist: he opposed the equal-rights motion nine years ago (to his wife's displeasure), but says that the women have proved their worth by organising raffles, bingo and barbecues.

ECONOMIST: Working men's clubs