Gender equality in the new European Parliament: Europarties and political groups

The European Parliament (EP) has often been characterized as supranational gender equality forerunner and progressive actor compared to other EU institutions. Yet, this positioning is dependent on the engagement of EP gender equality bodies and political groups, particularly from the GAL (Green-Alternative-Liberal) spectrum. Thus the composition of the legislature and more precisely the share of TAN (Traditional-Authoritarian-Nationalist) political groups plays a crucial role in shaping the EP positions in this policy field. In this paper, we examine how gender equality as a topic and a policy issue is debated and discussed in the EP 2024 elections. We focus on the political campaigns and dynamics of the Europarties, some national parties, and political groups and their potential impact on gender policies in the EU level. The analysis delves into Europarties' manifestos and Spitzenkandidatur positions on gender equality, providing a comparative perspective of the political group positions. Drawing insights from previous legislatures, we discuss the likely power balance between political groups and the potential effects regarding gender equality policy within the EP including continuity or changes in policy priorities. This involves examining issues left unresolved by the previous Commission or advocated for by EP gender equality actors or feminist movements. The paper relies on official election results, Europarties' websites and electoral programmes, reports and studies from gender equality organizations like the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) and extant literature. Our comprehensive approach aims to provide a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted dimensions of gender equality in the last EP elections and their subsequent policy implications.