Italian
In the splendid setting of the Ernesta Besso Foundation in Rome, journalist Annalisa Mancini organized and conducted a crowded meeting on a current topic on April 8th: “Women Leaders in Europe facing the Draghi Report”
ROME. The speakers of the evening were Ambassador Dr. Patrizio Fondi and Professor Carlo Lefebvre, who had the opportunity to meet some of the most prominent leaders and are experts not only in European politics but also in the economic and social issues addressed in the Draghi report.
Journalist Annalisa Mancini and the two speakers wanted to address this topic because female Leaders, in the European political landscape, have played and are playing a crucial role in recent decades, making significant contributions to social, economic, and political progress.
Furthermore, in the current scenario, the Report presented last September by Mario Draghi, former Governor of the Bank of Italy and President of the European Central Bank, as well as Prime Minister of Italy. The Draghi Report, outlined by Professor Carlo Lefebvre with the help of graphs and statistical data, provides a clear assessment of the economic and political conditions in Europe, analyzing current dynamics and future prospects.
The proposals contained in the Draghi Report develop along three main axes: the first is the need to bridge the innovation gap, the second is to promote competitive decarbonization through increased solar and wind power, and the third emphasizes the need to reduce strategic dependencies by investing in one’s own security.
Furthermore, the Draghi Report recommends moving forward with the European capital market union project by removing regulatory barriers.
The Draghi Report represents an important reference point for understanding the challenges and opportunities that women leaders face and will face not only at the European level, but globally.
In fact, Mario Draghi emphasizes the importance of inclusive and diversified female leadership in order to stimulate growth and address contemporary crises.
Ambassador Patrizio Fondi outlined the personality and work of the main European leaders in his speech, highlighting how the presence of female leaders, as also stated in the Draghi Report, is a key element in ensuring fair representation and promoting innovative policies.
Furthermore, women have proven to be more empathetic than men, and to possess both skills in navigating complex situations, and an innate ability for mediation and a practical sense that can help solve the most complicated issues and manage crises.
Let’s think, for example, of the 2008 economic crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic, during which women have contributed to identifying effective and resilient solutions, also as scientific researchers.
Journalist Annalisa Mancini intervened on this matter, recalling her interview with Dr. Concetta Castilletti who, in 2020, isolated the Sars-Covid-2 at the National Institute for Infectious Diseases Lazzaro Spallanzani in Rome and was awarded the title of Knight of Labour by President Sergio Mattarella.
One of the most influential figures of the 2000s in Europe was Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor who, with her pragmatism, led Germany and Europe through difficult periods of economic and political instability from 2005 to 2021, setting new records for female presence at the top of European politics, following the unforgettable Iron Lady, the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, in power from 1979 to 1990.
Ursula von der Leyen, the current President of the European Commission, is another prominent figure.
With a background in medicine and a long political career in Germany, she has never given up on being a wife and mother of seven children.
Ursula Von der Leyen has brought a new perspective to the European Commission: she has introduced a focus on crucial aspects such as digitalization, sustainability, and gender equality.
The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, who is also a wife and mother of 4 children, was re-elected in 2024 for the second time with a record of 562 votes out of 705 voters, almost a plebiscite of approval for her work!
Finally, Christine Lagarde, the fourth President of the European Central Bank, was appointed to this high position in 2019, at the end of Mario Draghi’s term, because she is unanimously esteemed and appreciated for her economic and financial skills.
In particular, Professor Carlo Lefebvre spoke about her, emphasizing how Christine Lagarde has taken on a leading role in guiding the monetary policy of the European Union, especially during challenging times like the Covid-19 pandemic, demonstrating her ability to address issues such as the sovereign debt crisis and interest rate management.
Another female politician, recently entered among the leaders, is Caia Callas, a young Estonian, also a mother of two children, who was appointed on December 1, 2024 as HIGH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNION FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND SECURITY POLICY, after having been Prime Minister of Estonia from 2021 to 2024.
All of these leaders, considered among the most influential women in the world by the American magazine Forbes, represent, according to the Draghi Report, a very important element for the progress and stability of our continent and are essential for stimulating economic growth through policies that promote innovation, sustainability, and social inclusion.
Their presence and contribution are essential for a diversified leadership of the United Europe and to address current and future challenges.
The Draghi Report therefore suggests the opportunity that Europe should also be led by female leadership, competent and determined women, ready to build a better future for all European citizens!
