Romanian women entering politics today have few role models.
Under the old regime, Elena Ceausescu, wife of the former Communist dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu, provided the national example of what Romanian women should be like. The execution of the Ceausescus in 1989 destroyed the image of Elena as the female ideal, but no one has ever really taken her place. Strangely, Elena Ceausescu still largely defines what it would mean to be a powerful woman in Romanian politics today. The political forum in modern Romania is dominated by men. This is partly due to the lack of a strong female leader and partly due to the structure of society.