My Name is Elena. I am a Post-doctoral Researcher in the EVOLV’EP - MEPs’ Career & Behaviour Project at the Departement de Sciences Politiques, Sociales et de la Communication at the University of Namur, Belgium.

My research interests lie in the broad areas of comparative political institutions, representation, European legislative politics (focused on the European Parliament), parties, political careers, parliamentary behavior and decision-making as well as gender. 

-> Please find information on my current research project about Gendered Political Careers and on Parents in Politics on this website.

My work has been published in European Union Politics, International Organization, Legislative Studies Quarterly and other peer reviewed journals. My book "Re-Selecting Members of the European Parliament" on party goals and candidate selection for the European Parliament elections in Germany has been published with Springer VS.

April 2023: the EUropean Careers Workshop on the Careers of European Political Elites and their Representative Effects will take place on May 5 and 6, 2023 in Bamberg. Register to listen, participate or to present your paper here: https://www.elenafrech.eu/european-careers-workshop/

April 2023: the EUropean Careers Workshop on the Careers of European Political Elites and their Representative Effects will take place on May 5 and 6, 2023 in Bamberg. Register to listen, participate or to present your paper here: https://www.elenafrech.eu/european-careers-workshop/

August 20, 2022: In an interview with K. Kaelin, a journalist, I explained how children and other private information can help politicians in their campains. Please find the resulting press articles, explaining the campain behavior of Swiss politicians in the Luzerner Zeitung and the BZBasel Online.