Gendered Leadership in the European Parliament’s Political Groups

Abstract

The chapter analyzes how leadership continues to be gendered in the European Parliament (EP), failing to provide a level playing field for MEPs. It focuses on the leadership positions provided by the political groups of the Parliament. Political groups have grown in importance alongside the institutional development of the EP, and leadership positions within them encompass those responsible for political, policy, and administrative leadership. This chapter analyzes political leadership in terms of political group leaders and national party delegation leaders; policy leadership in terms of nominations to the key positions of committee chairs and coordinators; and administrative leadership in terms of political groups’ secretaries general. We use extensive interview material (n=123), which covers MEPs and staff and includes responses to questions about political, policy, and administrative leadership within the political groups in the 8th (2014–2019) and 9th legislatures (2019–2024). Key findings show how men continue to dominate political leadership despite the gender-equal reputation of the EP. A particular hidden gendered structure is the leadership of national party delegations, where women are significantly in the minority. Policy leadership, in contrast, is the most gender-balanced area, though the conservative European People’s Party (EPP)—the biggest political group—is a notable exception in this regard. Finally, women are underrepresented in administrative leadership of the political groups. Gendered norms and practices continue to shape the scope of action within these leadership positions and underpin the challenges involved in making the EP a gender-equal arena.