On the other end of the scale, Cyprus (25%), Croatia, Italy, and Denmark (around 28%) lag far behind, highlighting that cultural, organisational, and policy barriers continue to hold women back.

Leadership positions in this dataset include senior executives, managing directors, and other top-level managerial roles across administration, trade, production, and services.

The statistics cover employed women aged 15 and over, showing that even with a large pool of potential leaders, women are still underrepresented at the top.

Experts argue that accelerating equal representation in leadership will require concrete measures. Suggestions include:

• Mandatory gender quotas in executive boards and senior management teams.

• Mentorship and sponsorship programmes to support women in career advancement.

• Flexible working arrangements to accommodate work-life balance.

• Transparent promotion and pay policies to reduce bias and structural inequalities.

While some EU countries are leading by example, the data clearly shows that achieving gender parity in leadership across Europe will require sustained effort, political will, and cultural change.

Malta, like many other EU states, has room to improve, and measures to accelerate women into top roles are not just a matter of fairness, they’re crucial for driving innovation, diversity, and economic growth across the continent.

What do you make of this?