For decades, politics has been a domain predominantly controlled by men, a pattern that persisted until the 1970s when the number of women joining political parties began to increase. The European Union has been actively working to help women overcome obstacles in both business and political arenas, particularly addressing the issue of the "glass ceiling." The concept of the executive triangle refers to the key actors involved in shaping public policies, including politicians, ministerial advisors, and senior civil servants. These three actors form a complex system of interconnections, expectations, and roles, with each playing a distinct part in the execution of executive power. Increasing the representation of women in national executive positions could greatly strengthen democracy on a global level. This recognition drives further research into how women achieve executive roles and how they wield their power in these positions. For the purposes of this paper, an overview of the main findings from these studies is provided, along with comparative examples, and an analysis of the presence of women in the executive triangle in Croatia is conducted.