Women in German Politics Face Persistent Barriers Despite Progress

The underrepresentation of women in German politics remains a significant issue in 2025, with women holding only 32.4% of seats in the Bundestag despite making up half the population. This disparity is driven by structural barriers within political parties and societal expectations, including traditional roles in care work. Luana Tillmann, a participant in the SR Young Reporter project, highlighted these obstacles during discussions involving politicians Nadine Schön (CDU) and Jeanne Dillschneider (Greens).

Both politicians emphasized the challenges women face in balancing family responsibilities with political careers and called for more family-friendly political environments. Additionally, increasing hate comments and threats targeting female politicians were noted as deterrents to women's political engagement.

While some progress has been made through gender quotas introduced by certain parties, significant hurdles persist. True equality requires ongoing efforts to dismantle sexist structures and improve representation. The SR Young Reporter project itself aims to raise youth awareness on democracy and women's political participation, making the underrepresentation issue more visible among younger generations.

These insights underscore that despite formal measures, societal and institutional changes are crucial for achieving gender parity in German politics.