Women in EU Politics: Stalling Progress?

By Winona Kamphausen

Last month, I wrote about why Europe needs more women in politics. This month, I wanted to zoom in on the numbers. Just in time for Women’s Month, the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) released its latest report, Women in Politics in the EU: State of Play in 2026. The findings paint a mixed picture: while representation has improved over the years, women are still under-represented in most political institutions across the EU, often remaining below the symbolic 40% threshold. So, where does the EU actually stand today?

TL;DR: What Does the Report Say?

The EPRS briefing provides a full snapshot of women’s political representation across the EU, and shows that despite decades of commitments, gender equality in politics is still far from achieved.

• Women’s representation in the European Parliament has declined, falling from a historic peak of 41% in 2019 to 38.5% after the 2024 elections. Representation varies strongly: 11 Member States are near parity, while six elect fewer than 25% women, and Cyprus currently has zero female MEPs. Sweden has over 60% women.

• National politics remain more unequal. As of late 2025, women held 33.6% of seats in national parliaments, only 15% of heads of government are women, and women make up 30% of national ministers. Country disparities are striking: Finland has 57.9% female ministers, while Hungary has none.

• Regional and local representation is similarly low, with women holding 36.4% of seats in regional assemblies and 34.5% in local councils. Several countries, including Romania, Greece, Cyprus and Germany, have under 25% women at the local level.

• High‑profile portfolios remain male‑dominated. Only 7 foreign ministers, 5 defence ministers, and a handful of finance ministers across the EU are women. EU Council meetings in defence, foreign affairs, economic affairs, and justice remain heavily dominated by male representatives.

• Political participation gaps persist. In the 2024 European elections, 50% of women vs. 53% of men reported voting. Women also report lower political interest and continue to face disproportionate levels of harassment and online abuse.

• Public attitudes support more equality. A Eurobarometer study cited in the report shows 78% of EU citizens reject the idea that women lack political skills, 60% believe men are treated better in politics, and 55% support temporary measures such as quotas.

Closing the Gender Gap?

The report highlights several measures that have proven effective in increasing women’s political representation. Binding gender quotas remain one of the strongest tools, particularly when combined with zipped candidate lists that alternate women and men to ensure women appear in winnable positions. Many EU Member States already apply parity or minimum thresholds in electoral lists, while political parties can reinforce these efforts through voluntary quotas, mentoring programmes, and stronger financial and organisational support for female candidates. Parliaments themselves also play a role by improving working conditions and enforcing anti-harassment rules.

However, these measures alone do not address deeper structural barriers. Women still face unequal access to political networks, funding, and time, alongside disproportionate caregiving responsibilities and male-dominated political cultures. Party nomination processes remain a key bottleneck, as party gatekeepers ultimately decide which candidates are promoted. Electoral systems also influence outcomes: proportional systems tend to produce more gender-balanced representation than single-member systems.

(Online) Violence, Sexism, and Politics

One of the potential solutions to having more women become part of politics is the use of digital tools. However, violence and harassment, especially online, are increasingly recognised as major barriers to women’s political participation. Female politicians across Europe experience disproportionately high levels of abuse, including sexist insults, threats of sexual violence, and coordinated harassment campaigns. Such attacks affect not only individual well-being but also women’s visibility and willingness to participate in political debate.

This pattern reflects wider evidence from the Everyday Sexism Project, founded by Laura Bates, which has gathered hundreds of thousands of testimonies documenting how misogyny persists in everyday life and online spaces. The project highlights how digital platforms amplify sexism through targeted harassment, image-based abuse, and emerging threats such as deepfake pornography. These dynamics increasingly affect women in public life, including politicians and candidates.

For policymakers, the challenge is twofold. Digital technologies and AI can support political participation, for example, by improving campaign outreach, data analysis, and communication strategies. At the same time, the same technologies can intensify online abuse, algorithmic bias, and disinformation targeting women. Addressing this requires stronger platform accountability, better support and reporting mechanisms for victims, and safeguards ensuring that new digital and AI tools promoted in EU politics do not reinforce existing gender inequalities in political life.

Why This Matters Now

The numbers in the EPRS report are not catastrophic, but they are a warning sign. After decades of gradual progress, women’s representation in EU politics appears to be plateauing rather than steadily improving. Falling slightly below 40% in the European Parliament may not seem dramatic, but it signals that progress cannot be taken for granted. Without continued political commitment, gains can easily stall or even reverse.

At the same time, the data make clear that the issue is not a lack of public support. Europeans overwhelmingly reject the idea that women are less capable in politics, and many support measures to correct imbalances. The real challenge lies in the structures and cultures of political life: party recruitment practices, unequal access to networks and resources, and the growing problem of harassment and online abuse that disproportionately targets women.

If the EU wants its institutions to reflect the societies they represent, gender equality in political leadership cannot remain an aspirational goal. It requires consistent political will, institutional reforms, and stronger protections against the barriers that still discourage women from entering or staying in politics.

Women’s Month is therefore a good moment not only to celebrate progress, but also to recognise that representation is not self-sustaining. Equality in politics does not simply happen with time; it happens when institutions actively choose to make it happen.