State Audit Office reports gender gaps in political leadership

A performance audit by the State Audit Office has revealed a lack of effective policies to strengthen the role of women in leadership and management positions within central government bodies. While women constitute 57.5% of the 110,885 employees in the public sector, men are appointed to leadership roles more frequently, indicating that high representation in the workforce does not equate to equal access to decision-making positions.

In the legislative branch, mandatory legal quotas have influenced female participation. In 2024, women held 39.2% of seats in the Assembly, a figure higher than 83% of EU member states and the highest among non-EU countries in the region. However, since the first Assembly was established in 1991, no woman has been elected Speaker.

The executive branch shows a different trend. Unlike the Assembly, laws regarding the Government and its Rules of Procedure do not mandate gender balance for the appointment of ministers. Between 2014 and 2024, female participation in the Government varied from 14% to 31% for ministers and 7% to 25% for deputy ministers.