Talk EU to Me is a project by Studio Europa Maastricht, a centre of expertise at Maastricht University for public debate, research and policy. The video below was created for the interactive project presented at the Bonnefantenmuseum in Maastricht during the Free Friday on February 27, 2026. The statements featured in the video were read by actress Julia van de Kar.
Female representation in numbers
Women’s representation in European politics has increased substantially over the past decades, but progress has recently slowed and even slightly reversed. In the European Parliament, women made up 16 percent of members in 1979, when direct elections were first held. This share rose steadily over time and reached a historic high of 40.1 percent in 2019. However, after the 2024 elections, women hold 38.5 percent of seats, marking the first decline in decades and showing that progress is not irreversible.
At the executive level, the European Commission moved closer to gender balance under the leadership of Ursula von der Leyen, who became the first female president in 2019 and explicitly aimed for a more gender-equal College of Commissioners.
In the Netherlands, the picture is mixed. Women are relatively well represented at the national parliamentary level, placing the country above the European average. However, at the local level women still hold only around one third of municipal council seats, highlighting uneven progress across political arenas.
Online hate and harassment
Despite gains in representation, women in politics continue to face significant gender-based online hate and harassment. Research on Members of the European Parliament shows that online abuse is highly gendered. Female politicians are more frequently targeted with sexualised insults, comments about their appearance, patronising language, and attempts to delegitimise their political authority.
These attacks go beyond ideological disagreement and reflect broader structural inequalities and patriarchal norms. Studies indicate that the psychological impact on female politicians is considerable: they report higher levels of stress, intimidation, and shame.
Online hate also has a silencing effect, as women are more likely to change their communication style, reduce public engagement, or withdraw from social media. A large European study found that 85.2 percent of female MPs had experienced psychological violence during their mandate, demonstrating how widespread the issue is and how it can undermine democratic inclusion.
Pregnancy and maternity leave
Institutional arrangements have not fully adapted to women’s participation in political office. In the European Parliament, there is currently no formal pregnancy leave. Pregnant Members may be excused from meetings three months before and six months after giving birth, but historically they could not delegate their vote, forcing some to attend sessions with newborns in order to participate in key decisions.
In November 2025, the European Parliament initiated a reform to amend the EU Electoral Act, proposing proxy voting rights for pregnant MEPs and new mothers during this period. The aim is to enable women to balance health and caregiving responsibilities with their parliamentary duties and to strengthen gender equality within the institution. This development signals growing recognition that formal rules must evolve to ensure full and equal political participation.
This data was collected by Stem op een Vrouw, an organisation dedicated to improving women’s political representation in the Netherlands by supporting women to be elected and to remain active in politics. You can learn more about their work here.
Female experience in three stories:
Constantijn, political party New Liberalism, party member Constantijn carriers a beer, his legs seem a little unstable, he leans close to me, I smell the stinging scent of beer. Earlier we discussed the policies New Liberalism implements to encourage more women to apply as a candidate. Constantijn lisps a little and he spits on my face as he talks: “You know what the problem is with these women?” Constantijn’s beer moves dangerously through the air as he leans in even closer. “These women, they do not want it enough. By only sending in their name, any woman will end up with an electable seat. That is how badly we want them on the list. They. Just. Do. Not. Want. It. Enough”. Constantijn spits out every word of the last sentence with emphasis and spit.
Mia, political party New Liberalism, candidate Mia and I distribute flyers in a small-town, several days before the elections. Suddenly, we hear a man shouting, “if your political party leader would be standing here. I would completely beat her up”. The voter’s outburst scares me, the man comes close, points his finger in the direction of Mia, and with every word he yells comes closer. Mia and the other candidate stay calm, do not give the incident more attention, and continue approaching other voters. In a later conversation Mia reflects on the incident “the hate to the party leader is a little bit a deterrence. I observe it now closely and I will consider very carefully if I want to have such a visible political position in the future”.
Quinty, political party the Workers Party, candidate “One of the senior candidates is an older man. We had a chat in the hallway, where I mentioned how people talk over in meetings, since then he makes sure people let me finish speaking”.
Research
These vignettes are based on research findings from the TWICEASGOOD project, with data collection led by Julia van Zijl, Lecturer at Maastricht University specialising in political sociology and gender studies.This pilot study explored the everyday experiences of women candidates during the campaign for the 2023 Dutch Provincial Elections, as part of the European Commission–funded TWICEASGOOD project. Researchers from the University of Birmingham followed and observed candidates at campaign events, canvassing activities, and public debates in two provinces. The researcher interviewed candidates, campaign teams, and party members before, during, and after the election period. Twenty-two candidates representing political parties from the entire political spectrum participated in the research.
The findings show that many women candidates experienced negative and hostile comments during their campaign, both on social media and in public spaces. Several candidates anticipated the hostile situations, sometimes therefore avoiding specific social media platforms. The support from political parties was central to navigating negative experiences. Candidates especially experience added mental and emotional work when support from the party was lacking.
The study also highlights the extra pressure faced by women of colour. Several parties want to diversify their candidate list and had list commissions propose candidates of diverse gender, racial, and class backgrounds. Frequently, only a small number of candidates with diverse backgrounds were proposed and nominated on the candidate list, resulting in an increased pressure on these candidates to gain votes from ‘their’ demographic.
For more information on the research project and the other case studies. Please visit their website by clicking here.
