Does Female Political Empowerment Reduce Energy Vulnerability? Evidence from the European Union

Geopolitical risks, uneven resource distribution, and increasing energy demand have made long-term energy supply security a top global priority. In this context, energy vulnerabilitydefined as the lack of equal access to reliable and sustainable energy-has drawn particular attention due to its disproportionate impact on socioeconomically disadvantaged women. This study brings a gender-sensitive perspective to the energy vulnerability literature by empirically examining the impact of women's political empowerment on energy vulnerability within the context of European Union countries. Additionally, it analyzes the effects of research and development (R&D) expenditures and economic size (GDP) on energy vulnerability. Using panel data from 23 EU member states covering the period 2010–2019, the study employs a bootstrapped panel quantile regression approach. The findings indicate that women’s political empowerment significantly reduces energy vulnerability in countries with lower vulnerability levels; however, this effect weakens in countries with higher vulnerability. R&D expenditures consistently reduce energy vulnerability across all quantiles, strengthening the resilience of energy systems. On the other hand, economic size shows a positive association with vulnerability, suggesting that larger economies face greater energy risks due to their complex infrastructures and high consumption levels. These results highlight the critical importance of policy frameworks that holistically integrate gender equality, technological innovation, and sustainable economic governance in reducing energy vulnerability.