: Minorities, particularly the Roma population , continue to face systemic discrimination and barriers to healthcare and housing. Women remain under-represented in politics, holding only roughly 9–11% of seats in parliament. 3. Rule of Law & Governance

: Productivity varies significantly; the Bucharest-Ilfov capital region operates at 162% of the EU average , while the Nord-Est region sits at only 51% . 2. Political & Social Landscape

: High government spending on wage hikes and social transfers has fueled inflation. Additionally, Romania faces some of the lowest tax compliance rates in the EU, with VAT collection inefficiencies exceeding 30% .