Analysis of
the 2009 Parliamentary Elections based on the data provided by the Central
Electoral Commission shows that, in general, the elections were held within a
framework of respect for democratic values and the entire activity of the Central
Electoral Committee was conducted on the basis of respect for the legal
framework, including those aspects of it that related to gender equality. An
analysis of the lists of candidates for the positions of members of the
Moldovan Parliament in the elections held on 5 April 2009 reveals that out of a
total of 1,386 persons in the lists, 409 were women. Also, among those six
registered independent candidates there were 2 women. Almost the same
proportion is maintained on the lists for the early Parliamentary Elections
held on 29 July 2009. Thus, of the 996 registered candidates, women 303 or 31.3
percent. During the parliamentary elections on 5 April and 29 July 2009, the
proportion of women in the electoral bodies at the level of district electoral
councils was 42.3 percent. Forty-six women or 43.8 percent were elected as
presidents, vice-presidents or secretaries of district electoral commissions on
the second level.
An
examination of the last four parliamentary elections held in Moldova shows that
each time women were under-represented, their percentage varying from 15.7
percent (1998) to 29 percent (2005). In addition, the following aspects have to
be pointed out: i) the percentage of women on the lists registered a continuous
increase, marking significant progress since the elections in 1998 to those in
2005, when this figure almost doubled (from 15.7 percent to 29 percent in
2005); ii) in the 5 April 2009 elections the share covered by women on the
lists of candidates (12 parties and 5 independent candidates) was of 27.7
percent, slightly lower than the level registered in 2005 (29 percent); iii) in
the early elections of 29 July 2009, the proportion of women in the lists
increased compared to April, reaching 28.5 percent It was, however, lower than the
maximum level registered in 2005. Apparently, the elections held in 2009 did
not follow the growing trend of previous years and there was even a fall in the
number of women on the candidate lists, suggesting that the enthusiasm for and
commitment to egalitarian principles have weakened. It should also be pointed
out that the position of women in the lists is unfavorable, and as is the case
with the proportion of women in the lists, this indicator followed a positive
trend in the first three elections, while in 2009 it started to decrease.
In this context, the average
position occupied by a man in the list is five to 10 positions nearer the top.
This difference had significant evolution. In the 1998 elections the difference
was 10 positions (the average position for male candidate was in 46th position
and 56 - for women). In the 2001 election, the difference fell to 8 positions,
to five 2005, six in April 2009 and 8 in July. Women are almost absent from the
top of the lists (first position). In 1998, top positions were occupied by
women on the lists of two out of 15 parties, while in 2001 no women headed the
lists. In 2005 there was one female leading the list, compared to two in April
2009 and none in July. The percentage of women in the first five positions rose
significantly from 5.3 percent i 1998 to 21.7 percent in April 2009, while in
July a decrease was registered again when only 10 percent of the top 5
positions were occupied by women.
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