Perspectives on the Relationship Between the Descriptive and Substantive Representation of Women at National and European Parliamentary Levels. Case Study: Romania

Discrimination is an explanation often given for low levels of descriptive representation of women in parliaments, which consequently also causes low substantive representation of women. This paper asks whether this causality also works the other way around and investigates whether low opportunities for substantive representation are the cause of low descriptive representation. In order to answer this question, the paper studies the Romanian case, featuring a remarkable low level of descriptive representation in the National Parliament (NP), of about 10%, and a relatively high level in the European Parliament (EP), of 36%. It first presents the analysis of substantive representation the in the NP in the 2008-2012 legislature, and Romanian’s delegation activity in the EP in the 2009-2014 legislature. Second, it discusses the results of several interviews with women and men politicians and women and men eligible candidates.