Women in Power: a Wave of Change

In 2019, the only woman to hold a high position in European leadership was Italian Federica Mogherini, the director of the College of Bruges. Now, the European Commission, European Central Bank, and European Parliament hold female presidents – the German Ursula von der Leyen, the French Christine Lagarde, and the Maltese Roberta Metsola. 48% of the members of the college of commissioners of the Community Executive are women, with members such as Vice President Margrethe Vestager who handles competition policy. Additionally, more than a dozen women are leading European agencies, including the Single Resolution Board (Elke König), the European Ombudsman (Emily O´rielly), the European Public Prosecutor´s Office (Laura Kovesi), and the police cooperation agency Europol (Catherine de Bolle). Two female-led organizations that have been pivotal to the pandemic crisis are the European Medicines Agency (Emer Cooke) and the European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Andrea Ammon). Also headed by women are the Economic and Social Committee (Christa Schweng), the European Data Protection Authority (Andrea Jelinek), the European Maritime Safety Agency (Maja Markovi), the European Fisheries Office (Susan Steele), the European Institute for Gender Equality (Carlien Scheele) and the EU Asylum Agency (Nina Gregori).