Gender inequality is more pronounced in areas considered "serious," such as foreign affairs or economics, according to an expert from the European Women's Lobby.
ADVERTISEMENTThe European Parliament elected in June is the first in history to see a decrease in the number of women MEPs. How does this impact the leadership of various committees, and what is the current level of female representation within them?
Jéromine Andolfatto from the European Women’s Lobby says that in many committees, particularly those traditionally deemed "serious," men make up the majority. Andolfatto highlights that "the key portfolios—those involving money and power, such as foreign affairs, budget, and economy—are generally led by men in committee roles."
The proportion of members in these committees is also very male-dominated, according to the expert. For instance, the Foreign Affairs Committee has 79 members, with only 14 being women. Similarly, the Budget Committee has 40 members, with just 8 women, and the Economy Committee has 60 members, including 16 women.
The impact of the extreme right
This difference, says Andolfatto, is not directly linked to the rise of the extreme right in these elections. However, she underlines that women elected by extreme right-wing parties do not necessarily advocate for women's rights, which she describes as "worrying."
"Far-right parties or groups in the European Parliament have a fairly significant representation of women in some cases. However, they are not known for supporting women's rights and are often quite hostile to them," Andolfatto explains. She adds that in this new legislature, part of her work will involve "identifying who is going to support us."
The European Women's Lobby believes the EU has passed significant legislation in the past five years, including the first law against gender-based violence. "We also advocate for a dedicated budget for women's rights and specific conditions for tenders and budget allocations," says Andolfatto.
Additionally, they are calling for gender parity in the College of Commissioners, a goal also supported by President Ursula von der Leyen.