OUR HISTORY
From Vision to Movement of Building HerEU
HerEU grew out of More Women in Politics, founded in 2017 by Marie-Anne van Reijen in the Netherlands. Motivated by her own experience of harassment in politics, she worked to make politics safer and more accessible for women. The organization trained over 1,500 women, reached more than 15,000 people, and built strong networks among female politicians. In 2023, Marie-Anne and Truuske Smits launched a program preparing women for the European Parliament. Following its success, including helping Raquel Garcia Hermida van der Wall enter the European Parliament, they set out to drive broader systemic change. HerEU was founded to strengthen women's impact in political participation across Europe. In 2025, EU expert Anouk Ooms joined the board, bringing extensive EU expertise and networks to help build a stronger, more inclusive democracy.
Building Change Together
HerEU collaborates with organizations, institutions, and networks that share our commitment to advancing women's political leadership across Europe
THE TEAM
Marie-Anne van Reijen
Founder & President
Marie-Anne van Reijen is a leader, strategist and advocate for inclusive politics. As founder of Meer Vrouwen in de Politiek and co-director of HerEU, she empowers women to thrive in political leadership. An award-winning changemaker, she builds networks, drives collaboration and advances equal representation across Europe.
Anouk Oms
Treasurer & Secretary
As Treasurer and Secretary of HerEU, Anouk Oms oversees financial governance and organizational administration, supporting the network's mission to connect women and foster equal representation across Europe. She works alongside the leadership team to ensure transparency, operational strength, and long-term sustainability for the organization's initiatives.