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Dr. Andreea PAUL (Vass)

Participation of Women in Romanian Political Life

19 November, 2009

European Parliament, Brussels

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Woman active participation in Romanian politics – 4 factsheets

1. Presidential elections 2. Government

          

3. Parliament 4. Local administration

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1. Romanian Presidential elections

NO women President or PM in the whole history of Romania

2000: Gratiela Birla is the first woman candidate and the single one - INDIPENDENT– 1% votes

Lia Roberts, a Romanian-born politician asserted in the United States Republican Party - announced her intention to run in 2004, but withdrew from the race a month before the official start of campaigning.

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2. Romanian Government

2007 and 2008 – no women Minister 28% of Secretary of State and Secretary General were held

by women 42% - 2nd decisional level (directors)

2009 - 14% of Ministers are women (3 women)

12 out of 19 ministries have no women in the next 2 decisional levels:

25% women in the 1st; 46% in the 2nd

EU average: 25% women, 75% men

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3. Romanian Parliament

Women2004 – 2008 2008 – 2012

Senate 9.5% 5.8% Chamber of Deputies 10.5% 11.4%

EU Parliaments average: 24% vs. RO: 9.7% (2008)

European Parliament 2004 - 2009: 31% 2009 - 2014: 35%

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4. Romanian Local Administration

2004 – 2008 2008 - 2012

County Councils 15.4% 12.6% Local Councils 11.5% 10.8% Prefect 9.5% 4.7% Sub-Prefect 12% 10.7%

Mayors: 114 women out of 3,184 in 2008 - 3.5%

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Conclusion Romania shows a low level of women’s representation with:

positive trends at the ministry level

negative trends at the local administration levels

2 political parties has adopted a voluntary quota: PSD and PDL – left only on the paper

The parliamentary electoral system reform in 2008 in favour of proportional selection in single-member district (PR in SMD) shows no significant change in women representation

Romania claims the 70s place in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index 2009 out of 134 states, losing ground year by year: rank 126 in political empowerment in 2009;

rank 34 in economic participation and opportunity in 2009.

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Hope for the future The Conservative Party (~3%), has the first woman as a

President: Daniela Popa The Democrat-Liberal Party (DLP) nominated in 2008

the first woman on the third high ranking state representative: Roberta Anastase – President of the Chamber of Deputies

Romania has the first EPP Woman Organisation President: Sulfina Barbu

The Liberal Party sent 5 women out of 6 members in the European Parliament (2009)

The National Agengy for Gender Equality adopted a valuable National Strategy for Gender Equality 2010-2012 and a reliable Action Plan, but not a decisive legislation initiative.

In the DLP we have the first draft of a Political Party Strategy for Women Promotion

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My vision Economic recovery after the worst ever crisis in a world

led by men requires the best of talent, ideas and innovation, morality and social ethics. It is therefore more important now than ever before for Romania to pay attention to one of the fundamental cornerstones: the skills and talent of our female human resources.

Without rethinking, redesigning and rebuilding: the electoral system in favour of gender quotas and the mentalities in favour of women engagement,

empowerment and contribution we will keep on lagging behind the countries with high

human development index, authentic democracy, economic development and low corruption.

Let´s start by voting during elections an by getting over the reluctance to enter in politics!