Women, gender, and constitutionalism in Central and Eastern Europe: Introduction to the symposium

Abstract This introduction aims to explain the main findings of the contributions to this Symposium regarding women, gender, and constitutionalism in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The main conclusion is that that the region is not homogeneous, despite some commonalities (partly related to a common socialist tradition). While the cultural gender clashes have played out in varying ways and areas in different countries, LGBT+ rights seem to be more controversial than gender equality understood as equality between women and men. We also observe that the rise of illiberalism and populism saw an upsurge in the use of direct democracy, through referenda (especially on marriage equality), while courts have been engaged by both progressive and regressive actors, with varying results across the region. In this introduction, we first present and embed the project. We then address what constitutional contestations in the region tell us about its gender order. The final part analyzes the trajectories and outcomes of constitutionalization of gender issues in the region.