Violence against women in European politics

Fearing violence, women in Europe hesitate to embark on careers in politics

By the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (1)

Europe’s co-capital city Strasbourg welcomed the art installation ‘Thinking of you’, a tribute to women who have suffered conflict-related sexual violence (2)

March 2025: On 25 March 2025, after the City of Strasbourg welcomed the art installation ‘Thinking of you’ by Kosovo artist Alketa Xhafa Mripa, The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities in Europe held its debate on violence against women in politics. Those attending the debate heard a series of harrowing testimonies but also glimmers of hope that the Congress could bring about real change in the political culture of its member states to protect and encourage women-elected representatives, without whom democracy has no future.

Opening the debate, Congress President Marc Cools pointed out that in 2024 the “Mayors under pressure” debate had drawn attention to the vulnerability of women mayors and local councillors who have suffered daily harassment and physical and verbal abuse, particularly via social media. This is a growing trend that discourages women in Europe from embarking on political careers.

Jaqueline McLaren, Lord Provost of the city of Glasgow (Scotland), confirmed that the figures for women's participation in politics were not reassuring. Moreover, during her time as a local councillor and mayor of Glasgow, she encountered violence. Threatened, among other things, with tarring and feathering, she had felt the helplessness and anxiety that many women politicians had experienced, were experiencing or would experience.

Hence, her motivation to invest in mutual aid, mentoring and solidarity programmes between elected representatives. She called on Congress members to take action and to get involved, also citing the Cartier initiative, which sought to build mutual support between women entrepreneurs and leaders around the world.

“If democracy is reserved for men, it has no meaning” – that was the message from Flo Clucas, Chair of the Standing Committee for Equality of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), who pointed out that according to the CEMR report “Women in politics: local and European trends”, around 1 out of 3 women in politics had been subjected to violence, particularly cyber violence.

She spoke of how, from a very young age, she had been taught an important lesson by her grandmother, namely, that women had died so that she could enjoy a fundamental human right – the right to vote. Having encountered violence, intimidation and harassment on more than one occasion in Liverpool and Cheltenham, Ms Clucas also recalled the case of her friend Rosie Cooper, a local councillor and later MP, who in 2017 had received death threats from members of a neo-Nazi group. “The mass media and the psychological manipulation of young people on social networks, particularly boys, had made political activity difficult for women,” said Ms Clucas, who was concerned about “misogyny and the belief in a particular form of male domination.”

She called for concrete action from Congress members, citing a series of measures taken by England’s Local Government Association: training kits for local councils, security measures at local council meetings, the Your Voice survey, launched to give young women and girls an opportunity to express their views on their possible participation in political life, outreach in schools, etc.

Several speakers drew attention to the worsening violence against women politicians and public figures amid the growth of AI and digital platforms, which were capable of producing deep-fake pornographic content to discredit female elected officials.

The youth delegates drew particular applause, with speeches that showed their determination to change the situation and work to promote gender equality in politics and society at large. Lumi Reichenbach, a youth delegate from Finland, spoke out against the media discourse that focused on women's personal lives and their clothing, rather than on what they said and did in politics, thus treating women as objects and not as active agents. Latvian youth delegate Renars Karlinskis paid tribute to the women who had helped him enter politics, pointing out that often they had to be twice as competent as their male counterparts.

Many speakers emphasised that defending women in politics against violence is a duty shared by both men and women.

(1) Congress of Local and Regional Authorities

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is an institution of the Council of Europe, responsible for strengthening local and regional democracy in its 46 member states and assessing the application of the European Charter of Local Self-Government. As the voice of Europe’s municipalities and regions, it works to foster consultation and political dialogue between national governments and local and regional authorities, through cooperation with the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers.

(2) ‘Thinking of You’

In ‘Thinking of You’, artist Alketa Xhafa Mripa originally used a Kosovan football stadium as her canvas, which she painted with thousands of donated dresses in a powerful tribute to survivors of sexual violence, aiming to pierce the silence surrounding wartime rape. Kosovan President Jahjaga was the first to donate a dress, praising the solidarity and support the artwork generated for the women.

Further reading: European capitals with women mayors | German women mayors remember the millions of Nazi victims | Europe lacks women mayors |

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