Stable Government Alliances?
Determinants of Coalition Policy in East-Central Europe
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
In 2006, disturbing government alliances were concluded in several new EU states, or serious political crises erupted. This cannot be interpreted across-the-board as a sign of instability in east-central European systems of government. In Hungary and the Czech Republic, the party systems are highly concentrated, and the parliamentary groupings were able to consolidate themselves for the longer term, so that coalition stability has proved noticeably higher than in Poland and Slovakia. In these latter two states, conflicts among the elites have so far encumbered a programme-oriented competition among parties. Even EU accession has not had the same effect on government stability in these four states.
(Osteuropa 4/2007, pp. 109–122)