Regarding the gender balance issue, as raised in the 2011 opinion, “each gender has to be ranked high enough on the list to have a realistic opportunity for being allocated a mandate. For example, the law could stipulate that every fifth candidate on the list of candidates should be of different gender” (para. 21). The present law already goes beyond this recommendation and Article 59 of the draft law still goes further, addressing Council of Europe recommendations by introducing changes into the electoral list gender quotas, raising them from 30 per cent to 40 per cent, while maintaining the zipper system11 aiming to ensure equal gender representation. Article 59 requires that at least one candidate in each three positions on the list be from the less represented gender, as opposed to the current requirement of one in four. This formulation is welcome in that it will help further boost the representation of women on candidate lists, including in winnable positions, and in the elected parliament.