Gendering European politics: A story of Progress and Backlash

Abstract

In this review I discuss three important books on European gender politics. Two focus on the European Union (EU) and highlight the increasing feminisation of EU politics. More women have been elected/appointed and taken up leadership positions inside EU institutions, and gender equality legislation has made a positive difference to women. Still, gender equality remains, by and large, a female, and less prestigious domain. Also, Europe’s existing gender inequalities have been exacerbated by austerity, the migration crisis, Brexit, and Covid-19. The third book analyses the growing far-right populist ‘complex’ and its opposition to feminism, women’s (reproductive) rights, and LGBTQ rights. This backlash is embedded in the cultural and socio-economic contexts that enable far-right populist actors to flourish. Together, these insightful books shed light on gender equality progress and backlash in Europe. Yet as gender is linked to identity, rights, and much more, these books reflect on our societies more broadly.