Johanna Kantola, Professor of European Politics at the Centre for European Studies, has co-edited the newly published volume
Professor Johanna Kantola shares the following insights about the book:
"We were inspired to edit this book by the fact that Ursula von der Leyen was the first ever woman president of the Commission, in charge of the first ever gender balanced College of Commissioners, and she even committed to a strong gender equality agenda. What did this change in Commission policies, processes and structures, if anything, how, where and why, we wanted to ask. What was her political leadership style? What was the real place of gender equality?
The book grew beyond this initial fascination into an account of the polycrisis context (pandemic, war, rise of the far right and democratic backsliding) where the first VDL Commission operated and into an assessment of the key political priorities including the Green Deal, digitalisation, migration, and economy. Gender equality is a critical lens throughout the book and demonstrates that the first von der Leyen Commission was far from systematic and effective in its approach to securing women's, LGBTQI and human rights.
This book has really interesting chapters from EU scholars who study the European Commission and gender and politics scholars who evaluate EU politics from the point of view of gender equality. It was a real privilege to be part of this investigation and the conversations between different scholars and now a joy to hold the book in my hands."