Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, expressed her commitment on Wednesday to promoting gender equality within her executive team, which is responsible for managing the European Union's daily operations. While facing some opposition from the 27 member states, von der Leyen is advocating for a more balanced representation of genders, aiming to shift the current ratios of 21 men and 6 women. She successfully achieved near gender balance during her first term and is now pushing for further progress as she assembles her team for a second five-year term.

Throughout her political career, von der Leyen has championed women's presence in decision-making roles, stating that without initiative, progress is unlikely to occur naturally. She has reached out to member states with a letter requesting at least one male and one female candidate for her team, asserting that without this approach, she would end up with the most male-dominated Commission seen in over twenty years. Despite the challenges, she remains focused on making strides in gender representation, noting that the current number of women candidates is already in double digits, although she continues to seek further potential candidates.

In the context of global political dynamics, the EU is often regarded as one of the most progressive entities regarding gender issues, distancing itself from regions where male dominance is still prevalent in political frameworks. Von der Leyen acknowledged that national political considerations can complicate the selection process of candidates, as the rights to choose representatives may rotate among parties. Alongside the importance of gender equality, she stressed that competence remains a critical criterion for selection.

The European Union is currently looking at several key female figures in its leadership, including Roberta Metsola, the President of the European Parliament, and Estonian Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas. Once von der Leyen has finalized her proposed mix of political affiliations, nationalities, and leadership roles, the complete list will be submitted to the European Parliament for approval. While there is no fixed timeline for the voting process, discussions surrounding these candidates are expected to continue throughout September.