Share of women in German leadership positions far below EU average

Women remain severely underrepresented in German management, accounting for only some 30% of leadership positions last year, according to new official figures published on Monday, reported dpa.

This means that female representation in management remained far below the EU average of 35.9%, data from the Federal Statistical Office showed.

The highest number of female bosses across the bloc was recorded in Sweden at 44.4%, while female representation in leadership was lowest in Cyprus at 25.9%.

The number of female bosses in Germany rose by one percentage point over the past 10 years, compared to four points across the EU, according to the figures.

The statistical office noted that the low share of women in German leadership positions was particularly remarkable due to the fact that women made up 47.1% of the workforce in 2025, slightly above the EU average of 46.5%.

By comparison, while women only account for a lower share of the workforce in Italy, they held a similar level of management positions as in Germany, at 28.6%, it said.

In Austria, female representation in leadership was much higher than in Germany at 37.2%, while also accounting for some 47% of the overall workforce.

Female representation was larger in government, with women accounting for 42.6% of government ministers in Germany in the third quarter of 2026, well above the EU average of 33.5%, according to figures from the European Institute for Gender Equality.