Despite the increasing scholarly interest in the representation of women in parliaments worldwide, little academic attention has been paid to women’s representation in the highest echelons of political power: political executives. This paper seeks to further the understanding of women's political representation through an examination of the under-representation of women in cabinets in post-communist Europe. This region’s unique political history renders it a particularly interesting case for the investigation of women’s executive representation, due to the lasting legacy of authoritarian Communism on the social and political role of women. The ongoing transition to liberal democracy over the past 25 years has further complicated the role that gender plays in post-communist societies. Through the use of an original dataset, quantitative methods are employed to seek to explain the various levels of women's representation in the executives of the ten post-communist European Union member states over time. A novel theoretical framework for the investigation of women’s executive representation is employed, through the use of a top-down versus bottom-up structure. This analysis will investigate a range of factors including the role of political ideology and coalition bargaining in the appointment of women, alongside women’s participation in the workforce, access to higher education and legislative representation. External factors, including the effectiveness of the European Union in promoting norms of gender equality will also be considered. This paper concludes by reflecting on how increases in women’s executive representation in the region may be achieved, and lessons learnt from Central and Eastern Europe which may be transferred to other states transitioning from authoritarian rule.
