As the countries of southeastern Europe struggle to move beyond a legacy of violent conflict and consolidate their democratic institutions, women leaders play an essential role. Frequently, women serve as the vanguard of political change, willing to break with established traditions and accepted wisdom to advocate for reforms. However, women politicians in the region have little place at their parties’ decision-making tables and are frequently absent when policy is developed. To foster cooperation among like-minded women leaders in the region, NDI, from Oct.

Romania has made definite progress in integrating Roma into the country's political life, but there are still significant barriers that require attention before Roma can be considered full and active participants in the country's political system, according to the findings of a new NDI report, Assessment of Barriers to Roma Political Participation in Romania (also available in

As co-editor of the recently published book Semi-Presidentialism in Central and Eastern Europe, Sophia Moestrup, NDI senior program manager for Central and West Africa, examines the effects of “semi-presidentialism,” on democratization in the region since 1990. “Semi-presidentialism” – a regime situation where there is a directly elected president as well as a prime minister responsible to the legislature – exists in more than half of all Central and Eastern European countries.

Sixteen years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, most citizens in Central and Eastern Europe have seen steady political and economic gains. However, the Roma—among the region’s largest minority—remain politically marginalized.

While international efforts focus on improving Roma living conditions, the issue of political participation has not been adequately addressed. It is, after all, the sole means by which Roma themselves can address their long-term community needs in such critical areas as housing, education, employment and healthcare.