Women in ministerial positions — all countries

Women in ministerial positions — European Union

Women in ministerial positions in the European Union in 2025 — 31.5%. Since 2005, the indicator has risen by 9.5 pp.

2025 31.5% +0.6 pp vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 33.6%2023
Period minimum 21.9%2005

Trend over time

2005–2025 · % of ministers

Women in ministerial positions — European Union, 2005–202520253035200520072009201120132015201720192021202320252005: 21.9%2008: 26%2010: 26.4%2012: 25%2014: 28.4%2015: 28.9%2016: 28.7%2018: 31.8%2019: 31.5%2020: 32.3%2022: 31.9%2023: 33.6%2024: 30.9%2025: 31.5%
Change over the period: +9.5 pp Annual average: 0.48 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: European Union

European Union 31.5%
World 22.4%
Women in ministerial positions — European Union, by year European Union All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 31.5 +0.6 pp
2024 30.9 −2.8 pp
2023 33.6 +1.7 pp
2022 31.9
2020 32.3 +0.8 pp
2019 31.5 −0.3 pp
2018 31.8
2016 28.7 −0.2 pp
2015 28.9 +0.5 pp
2014 28.4
2012 25
2010 26.4
2008 26
2005 21.9

About the indicator

The share of women among the ministers of a government. The indicator complements the share of women in parliament and often diverges from it: parliamentary representation in many countries is backed by quotas, while the composition of a government is formed by the decision of one person or party, so it reacts faster and shifts more sharply — from zero to full parity within a single round of appointments.

Important: The aggregate for a country group is a simple average across countries rather than a weighted one: the correct weight would be the number of ministers, and the source does not publish it. A simple average answers the question of how widespread the practice is, not of how many women ministers there are in the world.

Source: World Development Indicators (World Bank), license CC BY 4.0.