Women’s leadership in the EU institutions: a comparative prosopography between 2016 and 2021

The post-2019 period marks a pivotal moment for women’s leadership in the EU, with women appointed to the presidencies of the European Commission, the ECB, and, two years later, the European Parliament. This article explores whether these symbolic breakthroughs reflect a broader, structural shift in women’s access to high-level EU positions. Through a multivariate and multiple correspondence analysis of 181 top political and administrative roles in 2016 and 2021, the paper examines changes across the Commission, Parliament, and Council. It analyzes the socio-professional profiles of women in leadership and tests for a “von der Leyen effect.” Findings reveal a significant but uneven increase in women’s presence, shaped by nationality, institutional affiliation, and sector. The study concludes that while political will—especially within the Commission and Franco-German networks—has expanded opportunities, this remains a partial transformation. Yet, the emergence of a new generation of well-positioned women suggests a potentially enduring evolution in the EU’s power dynamics.