Women for Europe

A group of European women actively engaged
in European politics founded by Ursula Hirschmann
(Brussels, 1975)

Banner mit Forderung/Banner with demand: #EinEuropa, #OneEurope, #EinEuropaFürAlle, #UneEuropePourTous
Banner mit Forderung/Banner with demand: #EinEuropa, #OneEurope, #EinEuropaFürAlle, #UneEuropePourTous

For a free and united Europe

Ventotene Manifesto (Italy, 1941)

In the throes of the Second World War, anti-fascists were fighting for European integration. They believed that the cause of war lay in the sovereignty of the nation states and called for the creation of a socialist-inspired European federal state. Women and men paid for the resistance with their lives.

The post-war integration process was very much influenced by the social market economy. The goal remained to secure peace through the mutual control of goods essential to reconstruction as well as those of strategic importance.

Today’s EU is the result of a long journey marked by growing responsibilities and new member states. However, anti-European tendencies are increasingly questioning this process – Brexit being the most recent example of this.

Banner mit Forderung/Banner with demand: Exit Brexit. No deal is not an option for women.
Banner mit Forderung/Banner with demand: Exit Brexit. No deal is not an option for women.
Portrait of Ursula Hirschmann, Copyright: HAEU,AS210

» We, the uprooted people of Europe, have › changed countries more often than we have shoes ‹ – as Brecht, king of the uprooted, put it … We, too, have nothing to lose in a united Europe other than our chains. That’s why we are federalists. «

(1993)

URSULA HIRSCHMANN

(DE – IT, 1913 – 1991)
… was an anti-fascist and a federalist. She played a role in the clandestine circulation of the VENTOTENE MANIFESTO (1941) and in the emergence of the Italian MOVIMENTO FEDERALISTA EUROPEO (1943). In 1975, she founded FEMMES POUR L’EUROPE in Brussels.

» A Europe without Europeans is inconceivable! […] The Community institutions have produced European sugar-beet, butter, cheese, wines, calves and even pigs. They have not produced Europeans. There were Europeans [… right up to] the 19th century. We must recreate them.«

(1979)

Porträt von Louise Weiss, Copyright: European Union 1981 EP

LOUISE WEISS

(FR, 1893 – 1983)
… was a journalist, women’s suffrage activist and politician (RPR). In 1918, she founded the magazine L’EUROPE NOUVELLE. Even after the Second World War, she continued to campaign for European values through her work as a journalist. In 1979, she was elected MEP and held the post of Oldest Member until her death.

Overview:
the main
EU institutions
The figure Overview of the most important institutions of the EU shows an overview of the most important institutions of the European Union. These include: 1. the European Council. The European Council is the highest level of political co-operation between EU countries. The Council of the European Union brings together the ministers of the EU member states. It determines the general direction of EU policy, defines foreign and security policy and appoints important positions at EU level.  2. the Council of Ministers always brings together ministers from the EU member states to discuss a specific topic. 3. the Commission of the European Union ensures that all states abide by the rules of the EU. The President of the EU Commission is Dr Ursula von der Leyen. 4. The European Parliament is an important forum for political debate and decision-making at EU level. Members of the European Parliament are directly elected by voters in all Member States. The Parliament thus represents the interests of the people with regard to EU legislation and ensures that the functioning of the other EU institutions follows democratic principles. 5. The European Court of Justice The supreme judicial body of the EU is the European Court of Justice. It interprets EU law and ensures that it is observed in the same way in all member states. 6. The European Court of Auditors The European Court of Auditors audits the EU's finances and thus makes a decisive contribution to improving accountability and transparency and thus to strengthening citizens' trust. It scrutinises revenue and expenditure in all EU policy areas - be it growth and employment or environmental and climate policy. 7. The European Central Bank (ECB) The European Central Bank (ECB) is the central bank of the Member States of the European Union that have adopted the euro. Its primary task is to ensure price stability in the eurozone and thus maintain the purchasing power of the single currency.
The figure Overview of the most important institutions of the EU shows an overview of the most important institutions of the European Union. These include: The European Council. The European Council is the highest level of political co-operation between the EU countries. The Council of the European Union brings together the ministers of the EU member states. It determines the general direction of EU policy, defines foreign and security policy and appoints important positions at EU level.  The Council of Ministers always brings together ministers from the EU member states to discuss a specific topic. The Commission of the European Union ensures that all states adhere to the rules of the EU. The President of the EU Commission is Dr Ursula von der Leyen. The European Parliament is an important forum for political debate and decision-making at EU level. Members of the European Parliament are directly elected by voters in all Member States. The Parliament thus represents the interests of the people with regard to EU legislation and ensures that the functioning of the other EU institutions follows democratic principles.
The European Court of Justice The supreme judicial body of the EU is the European Court of Justice. It interprets EU law and ensures that it is observed in the same way in all member states. The European Court of Auditors The European Court of Auditors audits the EU's finances and thus makes a decisive contribution to improving accountability and transparency and thus to strengthening citizens' trust. It scrutinises revenue and expenditure in all EU policy areas - be it growth and employment or environmental and climate policy. The European Central Bank (ECB) The European Central Bank (ECB) is the central bank of the Member States of the European Union that have adopted the euro. Our primary task is to ensure price stability in the euro area and thus maintain the purchasing power of the single currency.
This graphic shows the flags of the individual EU member states. It shows that heads of state and government, ministers and MEPs come from the EU Member States. The number of MEPs depends on the size of the Member States.

United in diversity

EU motto (2000)

Besides striving for peace and prosperity, the EU is founded on a series of shared values. The principles of equal treatment and non-discrimination are firmly established in the treaties and fundamental rights charter of the EU:

»Any discrimination based on any ground such as sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation shall be prohibited.«
(Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights)

However, the swing to the right poses a very real threat to everything that has been achieved with regard to gender equality and human rights.

European Parliament
Distribution of seats 2024 – 2029
There are 720 seats in the European Parliament. The distribution of seats is as follows: The EPP: Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) has 188 seats, or 26.11 per cent. The S&D: Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament has 136 seats and thus 18.89 per cent. The PFE; Patriots for Europe has 84 seats and thus 11.67 per cent. The ECR: Group of European Conservatives and Reformists has 78 seats and thus 10.83 per cent. Renew Europe: Renew Europe Group has 77 seats and thus 10.69 per cent. Greens/EFA: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance has 53 seats and thus 7.36 per cent. The Left; The Left Group in the European Parliament has 46 seats and thus 6.39 per cent. ESN: Europe of Sovereign Nations has 25 seats and thus 3.47 per cent. NI: Non-attached has 33 seats and thus 4.58 per cent
There are 720 seats in the European Parliament. The distribution of seats is as follows: The EPP: Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) has 188 seats, or 26.11 per cent. The S&D: Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament has 136 seats and thus 18.89 per cent. The PFE; Patriots for Europe has 84 seats and thus 11.67 per cent. The ECR: Group of European Conservatives and Reformists has 78 seats and thus 10.83 per cent. Renew Europe: Renew Europe Group has 77 seats and thus 10.69 per cent. Greens/EFA: Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance has 53 seats and thus 7.36 per cent. The Left; The Left Group in the European Parliament has 46 seats and thus 6.39 per cent. ESN: Europe of Sovereign Nations has 25 seats and thus 3.47 per cent. NI: Non-attached has 33 seats and thus 4.58 per cent
Porträt von Sofia Corradi, Copyright: Sofia Corradi

» No Erasmian is against Europe. Obviously, they understand that not everything is perfect; it’s a human concept, a project, but that’s why it’s important that we work for a better Europe. […] The programme is about making young people world citizens […] who value education and mutual understanding. «

(2017)

SOFIA CORRADI

(IT, 1934)
… is professor emeritus of Permanent Education at Roma Tre University and the driving force behind the ERASMUS European student exchange programme (1987).

» The principle of equality between women and men is enshrined in EU law; many employment rights, maternity rights, trafficking laws and measures to combat violence against women and girls are derived from EU treaties and directives. Any form of Brexit will put these protections at risk of removal […]. We, women, never wanted this.«

(2019)

Porträt von Naomi Smith, Copyright: Naomi Smith

NAOMI SMITH

(UK, 1981)
… became CEO of BEST FOR BRITAIN, a civil society campaign that aimed to keep the UK in the EU, in 2019.
Since Brexit, the campaign has focused on maintaining the best possible relationship with the EU in the future.



Lead responsibility for the exhibition’s implementation lay with the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen
and it received funding from the Representation of the European Commission in Germany.