When Populists and Radicals Govern: Gender and Executive Appointments in Central and Eastern Europe
2026-06-10
In recent decades, populist mobilization has significantly reshaped the European political landscape. Right-wing populist parties have been particularly influential in post-communist Central and Eastern Europe, where they have frequently served in executive cabinet appointments. Drawing on an original data set covering cabinet composition in 12 countries from 1992 to 2019, this study investigates whether radical right-wing and populist governments are as likely as their mainstream counterparts to appoint women to cabinet positions. The findings reveal that radical right parties in government significantly reduce the likelihood of appointing women to cabinet positions, while populist parties don’t have the same effect. Moreover, the degree of populism within governing parties substantially magnifies the exclusion of women from the executive. These results offer new insight into the complexities of populism in the region and its implications for women’s descriptive representation in the executive branch.