Gender differences in decision making at regional level in EU · Gender differences in decision...

Gender differences in decision making at regional level May 2017

European Commission DG Joint Research Centre Directorate I - Competences Unit I.1 - Modelling, Indicators and Impact Evaluation Competence Centre on Composite Indicators and Scoreboards (COIN)

Gender differences in decision making at regional level in EU

Hedvig Norlén

Introduction

One of the European Union’s principle values is the equality between women and men. It goes back to

1957 when the principle of equal pay for equal work became part of the Treaty of Rome. Though

Important progress in reducing gender inequalities have been made in the last decades women are

still over-represented in lower paid sectors and under-represented in decision-making positions. The

Strategic engagement for gender equality 2016-2019 set out the EU framework for promoting gender

equality with a focus on the following five priority areas:

1. Increasing female labour market participation and equal economic independence;

2. Reducing the gender pay, earnings and pension gaps and thus fighting poverty among

women;

3. Promoting equality between women and men in decision-making;

4. Combating gender-based violence and protecting and supporting victims;

5. Promoting gender equality and women's rights across the world.

As part of its commitment to promoting gender equality in decision-making (third priority area), the

European Commission established in 2003 a database1 monitoring the numbers of men and women in

key decision-making positions (later referred to as the WMDM database). This database provides

reliable statistics that can be used for cross-country comparisons and more broadly for monitoring

progress over time.

The WMDM database includes information on the numbers of women and men in decision-making

positions in seven domains: (I) Politics, (II) Public administration, (III) Judiciary, (IV) Business and

finance, (V) Social partners and NGOs, (VI) Environment and (VII) Media. In the politics domain the

gender balance amongst politicians at European, national and regional levels are listed.

The purpose of this note is to examine gender differences in decision making at regional level.

Data and methods

1 The database was managed and hosted by DG Justice until January 2017 when the activity was taken over by the

European Institute of Gender Equality (EIGE) . http://eige.europa.eu/gender-statistics/dgs/browse/wmidm



The WMDM database includes information on (1) regional assemblies and (2) regional executives. A

regional assembly is the representative assembly of a region (i.e. regional authority) which is either

directly or indirectly elected by and composed of elected representatives of elected representatives of

constituent local self-government authorities. Regional authorities are territorial authorities in

between the central government and local authorities. A regional executive is a person or a body

exercising executive functions on the behalf of a region (regional authority). Regional authorities and

executives are not present in all Members States (MS). In Figures 1 and 2, a breakdown of regional

assemblies and executives’ data are illustrated. Regional assemblies exist in 20 out of 28 MS. The

regional assemblies are present at NUTS level 2 and level 3 for 16 MS2 (8 MS at each NUTS level), at

NUTS level 1 for 2 MS3 and for 2 MS4 there is mixture of different levels. Regional Executives with a

board of members exist in 14 MS5 but in another 5 MS6 there is also the position of a president of a

regional executive. The regional executives (when present) are available at the same NUTS level as the

regional assemblies. Data was collected between September and November 2016.

Figure 1. Data availability in the WMDM database for regional assemblies and executives.

2 NUTS level 2: AT, DK, EL, ES, IT, NL,PL and PT. MS at NUTS level 3:CZ, FI, HR, HU, LV, RO, SE and SK.

3 DE and UK

4 In BE the regions are five; Bruxelles-Capitale, Deutschsprachige Gemeinschaft. Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Vlaanderen

and Wallonie. The regions are based on the constitutional linguistic and federal communities. In France the regions are 18, where seven of these are composed of two NUTS level 2 regions and the rest 11 NUTS level 2 regions. 5 These are the MS where regional assemblies exist except from: DK, FR (one region actually has a regional executive (Corse,

FR83) but was dropped from the analysis since equivalent information from the other 17 regions is not available), HU, LV, RO and SK. 6 DK, FR, HU, RO and SK.



Figure 2. Breakdown of regional assemblies and executives.

We must be very careful in the interpretation of the figures that will be presented below. This is

because the number and the size of regional assemblies and regional executives vary substantially

across countries. Please consult the Annex for additional information on this.

Results Regional assemblies

Figure 3 shows the share of women sitting in regional assemblies. For the four MS (ES, LV, PT and UK),

where regional assemblies are not present in all regions country averages were imputed for the

missing regions. Belgium, France, Finland, Spain and Sweden are the MS where women are the best

represented in the regional assemblies. In Czech Republic, Greece Hungary, Italy, Romania and Slovakia

women are the least represented.

In the Swedish, French and Finnish regions women are represented evenly. In the Swedish regions

women have a share of 42-56% in the assemblies and in the French regions a share of 44-51%. In the

Finnish regions women are represented in the range of 40-49% (except for two regions7 with smaller

shares). The shares of women in the Danish, Latvian (the only represented Baltic MS), Polish and

Spanish regions are more variable. In Denmark a clear gradient from the north to the south may be

detected, with more women represented in the northern regions. In the northern Italian regions

women are also better represented but still only to a maximum of 30%.

7 In the smallest Finnish region Åland (FI200) and the region Keski-Pohjanmaa (FI1D5).



Figure 3. Share of women in regional assemblies (%).

The corresponding national average figures are reported in Figures 4. In the Swedish, French and

Finnish regions women have an average share of around 45%. In Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Italy and

Czech Republic, women only constitute between 11% and 20% of the persons sitting in the regional

assemblies.



Figure 4. Country averages of the share of women as members in regional assemblies (%).

Figure 5 reports the the share of assemblies whose president is a woman. Again, there are substantial

country differences across Europe. Whilst in Spain 65% of presidents of regional assemblies are

women, in Belgium, Slovakia and Hungary none of the regional assemblies are presided by a woman.

Given the heterogeneity in the number of regional assemblies across EU MS these figures must be

taken with a pinch of salt.

Figure 5. Country averages of the share of women (orange) and men (blue) as presidents in regional

assemblies (%).



Results Regional Executives

The share of women in regional assemblies is reported in Figures 6 and 7. There is more heterogeneity

in the share of women in regional executives8 within and between MS than what was observed for the

regional assemblies.

The share of women in regional executives is on average over 40% in Sweden, Finland, Spain and the

UK9 and under 10% in Greece and Croatia. Extensive regional variations may be seen in Belgium Italy,

Poland and Germany.

Figure 6. Share of women in regional executives (%).

8 The size of a regional executive varies extensively between the MS, with some executive groups being made of just two

members whilst others count more than 20 members. The diversity in size of the executive groups within and between MS is therefore an important factor. 9 An imputed country average has been used for the NUTS level 2 regions UKC, UKD, UKE, UKF, UKG, UKH, UKJ, UKK and

UKI.



Figure 7. Country averages of the share of women (orange) and men (blue) as members in regional

executives (%).

Figure 8 shows the share of regional executives held men and women. In all countries but Denmark,

most of presidents of regional executives are men. In Spain and Finland, only 20% of those presidents

are women. This figure drops to less than 10% in Italy or Czech Republic. In Hungary, Slovakia,

Belgium Austria and Portugal10 all executive presidents are men.

Figure 8. Country averages of the share of women (orange) and men (blue) as presidents in regional

executives (%).

10

Only two NUTS level 2 regions are available.



Conclusion

1) Men are still overrepresented in regional assemblies and regional executives.

2) Cross country comparison show that women are better represented in the Nordic countries,

France and Spain than in Eastern countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia) and

South Eastern Mediterranean countries (Greece and Italy).

3) In some countries such as Denmark, Latvia, Poland and Spain we have substantial regional

variations in the share of women sitting in regional assemblies.



Results Regional assemblies 2003-2017

Figure 9 shows the share of women in regional assemblies in 2017.

For the eight MS (BG, EE, IE, CY, LT, LU, MT, SI) without regional assemblies, the share of women in

national parliaments/assemblies has been used. The figure for the second quarter has been used (q2)

to be consistent with the last available figure for 2017, the second quarter figures. If the q2 was

missing the corresponding figure for the third quarter (q3) has been used.

Results 2017

For the four MS (ES, LV, PT and UK), where regional assemblies are not present in all regions country

averages were imputed for the missing regions. Belgium, France, Finland, Spain and Sweden are the

MS where women are the best represented in the regional assemblies. In Czech Republic, Greece

Hungary, Italy, Romania and Slovakia women are the least represented.

In the Swedish, French and Finnish regions women are represented evenly. In the Swedish regions

women have a share of 42-56% in the assemblies and in the French regions a share of 44-51%. In the

Finnish regions women are represented in the range of 40-49% (except for two regions with smaller

shares In the smallest Finnish region Åland (FI200) and the region Keski-Pohjanmaa (FI1D5).). The

shares of women in the Danish, Latvian (the only represented Baltic MS), Polish and Spanish regions

are more variable. In Denmark a clear gradient from the north to the south may be detected, with

more women represented in the northern regions. In the northern Italian regions women are also

better represented but still only to a maximum of 30%.



Figure 9. Share of women in regional assemblies in 2017 (%).



Results 2003-2008

2003

2004 2005

2006

2007

2008



Results 2009-2014

Results 2015-2017

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014



2015

2016

2017



Clarifications and country explanations

The WMDM database for regional assemblies is poorly recorded. No information of NUTS level of the

regions is recorded and in a few cases the names of the regions are not complete.

The MS are illustrated in the maps as of year of entry into the EU. 10 MS11 entered 01/05/2004, 2 MS12

entered 01/01/2007 and one MS13 entered 01/07/2013.

DE – For 2003, figures for 12 (out of 16) NUTS 1 regions are missing and an average of the remaining

regions has been used.

DK – No regional assemblies during the years 2003-2006, so the figures from National

Parliaments/Assemblies have been used.

EL – No regional assembly data for year 2003, the National Parliament/Assembly figure has been used.

For the years 2004-2010, regional assemblies are at NUTS level 3 and for year 2011 and onwards the

assemblies are at NUTS level 2. For the NUTS level 3 regions an average (corresponding to the NUTS

level 2 region) has been calculated for the years 2004-2010. Missing data for two NUTS level 3 regions

(EL421 and EL422) so an average of the available NUTS 3 regions has been used for the corresponding

NUTS level 2 region (EL42).

ES – Two regions ES63 and ES64 (Ciudad Autónoma de Ceuta and Ciudad Autónoma de Melilla) do not

have regional assemblies and an average of the remaining regions has been used (national average).

Missing data for year 2003 for 6 (out of 17) NUTS level 2 regions and an average of the remaining


FR – Missing data for year 2003 for 6 (out of 27) NUTS level 2 regions and an average of the remaining

regions has been used. No regional assembly for the region FRA5 (Mayotte) for the years 2003-2014

and the national average has been used. Because of the regional elections in France held on the 6 and

13 December 2015, the 27 regions of France were amalgamated into 18, this went into effect on 1

January 2016. So from 2016 there are 18 regional assemblies (some which are a combination of several

NUTS 2 regions).

11

CY, CZ, EE, HU, LV, LT, MA, PL, SK, SI 12

BG, RO 13

HR



LV – Missing data for the years 2004-2006, figures from National Parliaments/Assemblies have been

used. Missing data for the years 2007-2008 for 4 out of 5 NUTS level 3 regions, the figure from the

remaining region LV006 (Riga) has been used. Missing data for region LV007 (Pierīga) for the whole

time period, the average of the remaining regions has been used.

NL – Missing data for year 2003 for 9 (out of 12) NUTS level 2 regions and an average of the remaining


PT – Regional assemblies are missing in PT1 (Continente) and an average of the remaining regions (PT2

and PT3) has been used.

FI – Missing data for year 2003 for 6 (out of 19) NUTS level 3 regions and an average of the remaining

regions has been used. Missing data for the years 2003-2006 for the region FI1D1 (Etelä-Savo) and an

average of the remaining regions has been used.

SE – Missing data for year 2003 for 8 (out of 21) NUTS level 3 regions and an average of the remaining

regions has been used. Missing data for the years 2003-2011 for the region SE214 (Gotlands län) and

average of the remaining regions has been used.

UK – No regional assemblies in England (UKC, UKD, UKE, UKF, UKG, UKH, UKF and UKK) apart from

London (UKI) and an average of the remaining regions has been used. For the years 2003-2005 8 other

regions with assemblies were present.



Annex to Gender differences in decision making at regional level in EU

Data on the number of Regional Assemblies and Executives

Regional Assemblies

The number of regional assemblies varies extensively across the 20 Member States. In Portugal14,

United Kingdom15, Latvia, Denmark and Belgium there are five or less assemblies in each country. In

Romania, on the other hand, there are as many as 42 assemblies.

Additionally, the size of the assemblies varies to a large extent within and between the countries. In

Hungary, on average there are 21 members in an assembly and in Germany there are on average 115

members. In France the number of members varies significantly between the regions, from 26

members in the region Mayotte (NUTS level 2 code FRA5) to 209 members in the region Ile-de-France

(FR10). In Denmark the size of the assembly is fixed with 41 members in all five regions (DK01-DK05).

Table A1 and Figure A1 illustrate the numbers of the regional assemblies.

Table A1 Regional Assemblies

14

In Portugal regional assemblies are present in two NUTS level 2 regions. 15

In the UK regional assemblies are present in four NUTS level 1 regions.

MS

Number of

Regional

Assemblies

Average

number of

members

Median

number of

members

Standard

DeviationCV%

HU 20 21 19 7 34

LV 5 25 22 6 25

RO 42 34 33 5 14

PL 16 35 33 6 18

DK 5 41 41 0 0

HR 21 43 42 5 13

IT 21 44 41 18 41

NL 12 49 49 6 13

AT 9 49 40 21 42

PT 2 52 52 7 14

SK 8 52 53 8 15

CZ 14 53 50 9 17

EL 13 54 51 16 30

FI 19 55 56 19 35

ES 17 71 65 31 43

UK 4 81 84 47 58

BE 5 82 89 37 45

SE 21 83 71 30 36

FR 18 108 97 60 56

DE 16 115 105 47 41



Figure A1. Distribution of the number of members in the regional assemblies.

Regional Executives

The size of the regional executives varies significantly as well, within and between the 14 countries,

illustrated in Table A2 and Figure A2. In general there are fewer members in a regional executive than

in a regional assembly.

In Croatia, on average there are only three members in an executive and in Sweden there are 15

members. In Poland the size is of an executive is five members in all the 16 NUTS level 2 regions. In

Italy this figure differs from four members in the NUTS level 2 region Molise (ITF2) to 16 members in

Lombardia (ITC4).



Table A2 Regional Executives

Figure A2. Distribution of the number of members in the regional executives.

MS

Number of

Regional

Executives

Average

number of

members

Median

number of

members

Standard

DeviationCV%

HR 21 3 3 1 22

PL 16 5 5 0 0

NL 12 6 6 1 17

BE 5 7 8 2 27

AT 9 8 8 2 23

PT 2 9 9 0 0

IT 22 9 9 3 31

CZ 14 10 10 1 11

ES 17 10 10 2 18

DE 16 10 10 2 17

EL 13 12 11 3 22

FI 19 13 13 2 20

UK 3 14 12 7 52

SE 21 15 15 2 12

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