The National Confederation for Female Entrepreneurship (CONAF) believes that Romania does not suffer from a shortage of competent women, but rather from a problem of representing competence in the spaces where political and administrative decisions are shaped, according to a press release issued by the organisation.

'The fact that, during the recent political consultations, the majority of delegations were composed exclusively of men cannot be treated as a coincidence, nor dismissed as a matter of protocol details. In a society where women make an essential contribution to the economy, administration, education, entrepreneurship and public life, their underrepresentation in the spaces where administrative and political decisions are shaped raises a legitimate question regarding the mechanisms through which representation is constructed. The question is not whether there are women prepared to participate in Romania's political and administrative dialogue. The question is why they are absent from the places where the direction of this country is negotiated,' the statement said.

According to the organisation, women's representation in decision-making processes is neither a secondary issue of democracy nor merely a matter of formal balance; it is an indicator of how the state uses its pool of competence. A mature democracy is measured not only by the existence of institutions, but also by their capacity genuinely to integrate the social and economic value produced by society as a whole.

According to CONAF, European data confirm that this discussion is not about perception, but about the reality of representation. According to the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), in 2025 Romania had female representation of only 22% in Parliament, below the European Union average of 33.6%, placing the country 25th out of 27 member states. The imbalance becomes even more visible at local level, where women account for only 8.9% of local council structures, placing Romania last in the European Union, far below the European average of 34.9%. At the same time, only 6.5% of Romania's mayors are women, compared with a European average of 18.9%.

'The recent political consultations have made visible a reality that Romania can no longer treat as a detail: women are too often absent from the spaces where power is negotiated. I do not accept the idea that political parties could not find competent women. Romania has women who are prepared, capable of leading, negotiating and making decisions. What we are seeing is not a lack of qualified women, but a weak conversion of female competence into public influence and participation in decision-making. Romania benefits from the work, leadership and resilience of women in the economy, education, administration and communities, yet they are not proportionally represented in the spaces where the country's direction is negotiated. The quality of a democracy is determined not only by who takes part in elections, but also by who participates in shaping decisions. Women are not absent from Romania. They are absent from the decision-making process. The question Romanian politics must answer is this: why do decision-making mechanisms continue to function without an essential part of this society's competence?' said Cristina Chiriac, President of CONAF.

CONAF stated that it will continue to be actively involved in increasing women's participation in Romania's economic, administrative and institutional life, and in bringing about a genuine change in their share of representation in the spaces where negotiations and decisions take place, with the conviction that authentic modernisation begins when competence is naturally recognised and representation ceases to be an exception and becomes the natural expression of a society making full use of its potential.

The National Confederation for Female Entrepreneurship (CONAF) is described as the most relevant confederation in Romania advocating for more effective dialogue with the authorities, cooperation in developing public policies aimed at sustainable economic growth, and support for entrepreneurs through recognition of their achievements.

CONAF represents the largest organisation of its kind in Romania, supporting and promoting Romanian entrepreneurship in an unprecedented manner that opens opportunities for collaboration and cooperation both domestically and internationally. CONAF was established out of the need to create a modern, sustainable and equitable entrepreneurial culture, not only for female entrepreneurship but for the entire business environment. The organisation includes 31 branches, 3 federations, 16 employers' associations, 55 associations and 15,000 companies employing more than 245,000 people. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: editor: Andreea Marinescu; EN - writing by: Cristina Zaharia)