Election Observation Guidelines as Vehicles for Change and Enhancement of Women and National Minorities’ Participation in Romanian Politics Octavian Mircea CHESARU Parliamentary Expert, The Permanent Electoral Authority of Romania

Research premises Inclusiveness is a fundamental aspect of democratic elections Special attention granted to the participation of women and national minorities in electoral processes and public life Handbooks on election observation provide the guidelines regarding political equality of women and persons belonging to national minorities These guidelines generate positive changes of electoral systems

Study objectives Assess the compliance of the Romanian electoral system with the main values supported by election observation guidelines that inspire change Assess the participation of women and national minorities in public life

Universal suffrage Primary instruments: Art. 21 par. (1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Par. 35 of the Copenhagen Document Art. 5 of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination Art. 14 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms

Universal suffrage Guidelines: Constitutional protection of universal suffrage without unreasonable restrictions No special conditions or administrative restrictions on voting rights that raise concerns Electoral law equality

Universal suffrage Case of Romania: The Constitution of Romania guarantees universal suffrage without unreasonable restrictions Legal restrictions are impartial and non-discriminatory The absence of ethnic criteria in formal documents and procedures No gender-related barriers

Universal suffrage Right to form a political party: Almost all the documents that must be filed are issued by the founding members Rapid decision-making process No unreasonable obstacles Exceptions that provide incentives for organizations that represent national minorities 165 legally established political organisations

Universal suffrage Electoral campaign fairness: No restrictions on campaigning in minority languages Fair access to media for women and national minority candidates Measures incriminating hate speech.

Legal Incentives to Promote Participation Guidelines and recommendations: Electoral systems reforms for low thresholds, preferential voting, or the establishment of electoral districts Special measures such as special threshold requirements for national minorities, dual voting, or reserved seats Instruments for fair representation of national minorities Incentive measures that stimulate participation of women or national minorities representatives Fairness of state funding

Legal Incentives to Promote Participation boundaries of Romanian electoral districts drawn following administrative divisions Image: www.hartaromanieionline.ro Image: www.ro.wikipedia.org

Legal Incentives to Promote Participation Reserved seats policy The Constitution of Romania guarantees equal opportunities for women and men Electoral law reforms to stimulate women in running for office obligation to represent both genders in the lists of candidates state funding increased for promoting women on the electoral lists, on eligible places state funding - no provisions that generate disparities between political organizations representing national minorities and other political organizations

The Level of Representation Human resources involved in electoral processes (women representation) ≈ 65% of PEA staff ≈ 71% of electoral experts ≈ 63% of computer operators Photo: www.ziare.com Image: www.roaep.ro

The Level of Representation The Romanian Parliament 18 national minorities represented 30 MPs representing the Hungarian minority ≈ 20% of MPs are women Photo: www.bucharestcityapp.com

The quantitative evolution of women MP in Romania Legislative period Number of MPs Number of women Percentage 1990-1992 486 23 4,73 1992-1996 484 18 3,72 1996-2000 485 4,74 2000-2004 481 52 10,81 2004-2008 469 46 9,81 2008-2012 471 44 9,34 2012-2016 588 67 11,39 2016- 465 90 19,35

The Level of Representation Local elected authorities (women representation) 147/3187 mayors (4,61%) 4990/40220 local councillors (12,40%) 213/1436 county councillors (14,83%) 13/55 councillors of the General Council of the Municipality of Bucharest (23,63%)

The Level of Representation Local elected authorities (national minorities representation) 218/3187 mayors (6,84%) 3010/40220 local councillors (7,48%) 117/1436 county councillors (8,14%)

Political organization Elected positions achieved by political organizations representing national minorities Political organization Elected mayors Elected local councillors Elected county councillors The Alliance for Roma Unity 3 The Alliance between The Popular Hungarian Party of Transylvania and the Civic Hungarian Party 2 33 The Association of Italians in Romania – RO.AS.IT. The "Pro-Europa" Roma Party Association 1 143 The Community of Lipovan-Russians in Romania 15 The Popular Hungarian Party of Transylvania 207 6 The Federation of Hebrew Communities in Romania The Democratic Forum of Germans in Romania 5 81 10 The Roma Democratic Alliance Party 4 The Civic Hungarian Party 13 158 The Party of the Democratic Roma The Bulgarian Union of Banat - Romania The Croatian Union of Romania The Cultural Union of Ruthenians in Romania The Democratic Union of Turkish-Moslem Tatars in Romania 11 The Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania 195 2284 95 The Democratic Union of Slovaks and Czechs in Romania 23 The Hellenic Union of Romania The Polish Union of Romania The Serbian Union of Romania The Ukrainian Union of Romania 14 218 3010 117

The Level of Representation Presidential and MEPs elections 2014 Presidential elections - 2 women & 2 representative of the Hungarian minority stood for office Romanian MEPs – 9/32 are women; 2/32 represent the Hungarian minority

Conclusions The Romanian electoral system features the necessary measures to stimulate female candidatures and to provide fair campaigning and representation for national minorities The number of women in elected positions is the highest after 1989 and national minorities are politically represented at local level where the minority is consistent, as well as at the level of the Parliament Further improvements depend on 2 core infrastructures: the electoral system – reforms have been accomplished the infrastructure of symbols - opinions and projects, achievements and examples of best practices while in office, as well as holding public positions of great visibility