So close but still too far away from power? Unveiling women’s access to influential positions in the European Parliament

Since its constitution in 1979, the composition of the European Parliament (EP) has changed considerably. One notable evolution is the progressive but steady increase in the number of female MEPs: between 1979 and 2019 this number has risen from 15.2% to 39.5%. Therefore, the EP is defined in the literature as one of the most feminized Parliaments in Europe. But it is questionable whether the descriptive representation of women in the EP is sufficient for the promotion of women in European politics. What matters is not only the politics of presence, but the presence of female in the positions of influence. Preliminary results show that more men than women are in top positions in the EP especially, when it comes to the most influential ones (e.g. Chair of most powerful Committees). In this paper, we try to explain the hidden mechanisms that decide which (female) MEPs get into top positions and which do not. Studying female MEPs in top positions in the European Parliament between 1994 and 2021, we raise the question to which extent women are granted access to power in the EP. Leading questions are: Who are the women in top positions? And is there a certain type of politician who gets into powerful positions? For this, a unique dataset has been created which covers all MEPs in top positions in the EP, namely (1) committee chairs, (2) rapporteurs, (3) chairs of a parliamentary group and (4) group committee coordinators. In total, about 2750 positions of influence are analysed. Multivariate analyses test the effects of individual, party, and political systems variables on the access of female MEPs to positions of influence. Further, it considers theoretical thoughts about power and institutional authority and will put in question certain concepts of parliamentary power.