The line chart illustrates the changes in the percentage of female members of parliament in five European countries over the period from 2000 to 2012 at four-year intervals.
Overall, an overall increase can be observed throughout the period. While Belgium was consistently the dominant category, Italy experienced the most dramatic change and eventually overtook the UK. By contrast, the UK remained at the lowest rank throughout the entire period.
In 2000, Germany emerged as the leading category, standing at approximately 31%, while Spain followed at approximately 26%. By comparison, the figure for Belgium was far less significant, at approximately 24%. However, the subsequent years witnessed an increase. While Belgium rose sharply, other countries followed a contrasting trajectory, eventually reaching 35% and approximately 32% by 2008.
In contrast to the trends observed in Belgium, Italy and the UK followed similar trends throughout the timeframe. Although starting from a relatively low base, Italy experienced substantial growth, eventually overtaking the UK by 2004. By the end of the timeframe, Belgium had consolidated its position as the dominant category at approximately 39%, whereas the UK remained the lowest, standing at only around 23%.