Women occupy leadership positions at all levels o government. While the topic has been extensively investigated and reerred to national legislatures, other venues remain under-researched. By ocusing on the mayoral oce, this article aims at contributing to ll the research gap regarding the local government arena and specically executive positions. Drawing on a survey o around 2,600 European mayors, the study investigates whether women and male mayors difer in their social backgrounds, recruitment patterns and policy priorities. The resulting identikit o the 'Urban European Woman Mayor' points to important diferences in the career path conrming the diferences in policy priorities.