According to Oxfam, only 28 % of key positions in power are occupied by women

The NGO Oxfam publishes, Tuesday, April 29, an index measuring “The rate of feminization of power in France”. In this document, it notes that in 2025, only 28 % of executive, parliamentarian or local keystations as well as those of large institutions, are occupied by women.

More than twenty politicians, including the former mayor (Socialist, PS) of Lille Martine Aubry, L’Équiiele (PS) in Paris Anne Hidalgo, the National Secretary of Ecologists Marine Tondelier, the president (PS) of the Occitanie Carole Delga region or the deputy (ecological and social group) of Seine-Saint-Denis Clementine Autain, publish in the same time, in the same time, Ouest-Francea platform in which they claim “An act II of parity”.

According to the Oxfam study, published on the occasion of the 80ᵉ anniversary of obtaining the right to vote to the French, on April 29, 1945, 29.1 % of the positions of executive power in the country are occupied by women.

But, if the government of François Bayrou is strictly joint, “The devil is hidden in detail”explains Oxfam: “The rate of parity decreases as soon as you approach the positions considered to be the most powerful”has “43 % for full -service ministries”has “25 % for state ministers”. And there is no woman in a sovereign position.

The NGO notes that ministerial offices are not more joint. Only one in five is led by a woman and they are only 35 % in the team of the President of the Republic, Emmanuel Macron.

In Parliament, the situation is hardly better. Chaired since 2022 by a woman-the deputy (Renaissance) of the Yvelines Yaël Braun-Pivet-, the National Assembly is not joint; The hemicycle has 36 % of elected elected elected representatives (down) and there are only three to chair a group-the Palais-Bourbon has eleven. The proportions are comparable to the Senate. On the other hand, 53.2 % of European deputies are women.

Oxfam proposals for better parity

“We must underline the progress, as a strictly joint government and a woman president of one of the two chambers of the Parliament. But that’s not enough “note the signatories of the gallery in Ouest-Franceadding that “Power still remains too much a men’s environment, where women are largely exposed to sexism and violence”.

Oxfam also notes that a only in five mayor is a woman in France, the feminization rate being roughly the same on the presidency of the departments. Regarding regions, we approach a third: 29 % of presidents are presidents. Finally, she observes that, if no high jurisdiction is chaired by one woman, one in five prefecture is occupied by a prefect and an embassy in three by an ambassador.

“The glass ceiling persists”regrets oxfam, believing that “The equal parity and participation of women in public life are essential to advance women’s rights”.

As such, the NGO offers the“Adoption of flagship measures”for example the establishment of “Rules of parity in the allocation of sovereign posts, as well as in the training of ministerial firms”. Why not also choose “A binominal voting system for legislative elections by dividing the number of constituencies by two and electing parliamentarians in pairs” Woman-man.

Oxfam also suggests conditioning the financing of parties to parity criteria in their management bodies and their inauguration commissions, to replace departures in maternity leave, or even “Breaking with the sacrificial dimension of political commitment” by providing “More compatible meeting hours with personal and family life” in parties and in assemblies.