Political Parties in Post-Communist Eastern Europe

Political Parties in Post-Communist Eastern Europe

is the first textbook to survey the course of party developments in eastern Europe as a whole in the post-Communist period. This book relates the specifics of the post-communist situation to the broader picture of the early stages of party development in western Europe and also to contemporary models of party organisation in established democracies.

The book includes:

· a brief historical introduction to the context of post-communist change

· the process of competitive party formation and democratic elections

· the development of independent parties; their ideologies, and electoral volatility

· the structure and level of organisation developed by new parties

· an analysis of stable party systems which have emerged in eastern Europe and the contribution they make to emerging democracies in the region

Party Politics in Post-Communist Eastern Europe will be a comprehensive and invaluable resource, accessible to undergraduates of politics and European studies, as well as the non-specialist reader.