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. Her connection with Communism and her role as 'wife of the dictator' provides sufficient stigma to discourage women from playing a bolder role in politics. The role of women in Romanian society is changing slowly, but the society itself is still largely patriarchal.
Men hold the dominant positions and are charged with 'looking after' the women.
Women are often seen as inferior in the workplace, and this widely accepted position of inferiority hinders their advancement in the political arena. That concept of female inferiority is only re-enforced by Elena Ceausescu's life. Elena's life Elena Ceausescu, or 'Lenuta', was brought up in the small village of Petresti. Her father was a small-scale farmer working on rented land. He also ran a small store from his home, selling penknives and candles.