THE WOMEN MAYORS PROJECT
 Europe lacks women mayors
By City Mayors Research*
ON THIS PAGE: Introduction | Women mayors in Europe's regions | Women mayors in European countries
ON OTHER PAGES: ON OTHER PAGES: Capital cities with women mayors | Women mayors in America | Women mayors in Europe | Europe's most powerful female mayors | South America's women mayors | Mayors, parties, politics
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January 2022: There are very few female mayors in cities across Europe. Just under 17 per cent of the continent’s largest cities have women - elected or appointed - as their leaders. In Northern Europe almost one third of mayors are female, while in Southern Europe the percentage of women as leaders of local government is below nine per cent. Norway is the only country in Europe where most of the mayors of larger towns and cities are women. In Italy and Greece, no women have been elected as heads of large cities.
In addition to Norway, individual countries with an above average number of female mayors include Finland, France and Switzerland. While Berlin recently elected a woman as head of its municipal government, in Germany there are only two women in charge of larger cities. European capital cities with female mayors are Berlin, Oslo, Stockholm, Paris, Luxembourg, Amsterdam and Sofia.
The majority – 40 out of 71 – of female mayors of large European cities belong to parties on the left of the political spectrum. Some 17 are members of centrist parties, while eight mayors are on the nationalist right. Six mayors describe themselves as independent or unaffiliated.
Women mayors in European regions
|
Region
|
No. of female mayors out of No. of cities reviewed
|
Percentage of largest cities with female mayors
|
Countries reviewed
|
| Northern Europe |
21 out of 65
|
32.3%
|
Estonia, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden |
| Eastern Europe |
11 out of 75
|
14.7%
|
Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Russia, Slovakia |
| Western Europe |
22 out of 120
|
18.3%
|
Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Switzerland, UK |
| Southern Europe |
4 out of 45
|
8.9%
|
Italy, Portugal, Spain |
| South Eastern Europe |
13 out of 115
|
11.3%
|
Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey |
| Across Europe |
71 out of 420
|
16.9%
|
The above |
Women mayors in European countries
(In greater detail: Europe's most powerful female mayors)
|
Country
|
No of female mayors
|
Politics
|
Notes
|
| Albania |
2
|
Left 1; Conservative 1 |
Largest 5 cities reviewed |
| Austria |
2
|
Communist 1;
Conservative 1 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Belgium |
1
|
Left 1 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Bulgaria |
1
|
Right 1 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Croatia |
2
|
Left 1; Independent 1 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Czech Republic |
1
|
Conservative 1 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Denmark |
3
|
Left 1; Centre 1; Conservative 1 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Estonia |
2
|
Left 1; Centre 1 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Finland |
5
|
Left 1; Conservative 3; Independent 1 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| France |
5
|
Left 4; Green 1 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Germany |
2
|
Left 1; Independent 1 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Greece |
0
|
n/a |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Hungary |
2
|
Right 1; Independent 1 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Italy |
0
|
n/a |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Luxembourg |
1
|
Centre 1 |
Largest 5 cities reviewed |
| Netherlands |
2
|
Left 2 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| North Macedonia |
1
|
Independent 1 |
Largest 5 cities reviewed |
| Norway |
10
|
Left 10 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Poland |
2
|
Centre 1; Independent 1 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Portugal |
2
|
Left 2 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Romania |
2
|
Left 1; Centre 1 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Russia |
3
|
Nationalist right 3 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed; The review included cities in the Asian part of Russia |
| Serbia |
2
|
Right 2 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Slovakia |
3
|
Centre 1; Conservative 1; Independent 1 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Slovenia |
2
|
Left 1; Centre 1 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Spain |
2
|
Left 1; Conservative 1 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Sweden |
2
|
Left 1; Centre 1 |
Largest 5 cities reviewed |
| Switzerland |
4
|
Left 3; Green 1 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed |
| Turkey |
1
|
Right 1 |
Largest 15 cities reviewed; The review included cities in the Asian part of Turkey |
| United Kingdom |
5
|
Left 5 |
All 25 metro regions, cities and London boroughs with elected mayors reviewed |
* The research for Women Mayors in Europe was carried out by City Mayors during December 2021 , January and February 2022. The analysis comprised 420 cities in 30 countries.
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