Timeline of women's suffrage liberty between 1718 and 1772. The Australian Commonwealth Franchise Act of 1902 enabled women to vote at federal elections and also permitted women to stand for election to the Australian Parliament, making the newly-federated country of Australia the first in the modern world to do so. In 1906, the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland, which became the republic of Finland, was the second country in the world to implement both the right to vote and the right to run for office. Finland was also the first country in Europe to give women the right to vote. The world's first female
Accession of Turkey to the European Union which is clearly in the strategic interest of Europe". Two of Turkey's key supporters for its bid to join the EU are Poland and the United Kingdom. Upon joining the EU, Turkey's 76 million inhabitants would bestow the second-largest number of MEPs in the European Parliament. Demographic projections indicate that Turkey would surpass Germany by 2020. However, as a single country can only hold a maximum of 96 seats in the European Parliament, this would not give Turkey an advantage in the European Parliament. Turkey's membership would also affect future enlargement plans, especially the number of nations seeking EU membership,