This book examines in depth the impact of the EU on aspects of the quality of democracy in eight selected post-communist countries. Considering both the political and legal aspects of the dynamics among institutions and focussing on inter-institutional accountability, the book analyses how constitutional designs have been effectively implemented to achieve this, and to what extent this was the result of EU action. In order to make a comparative assessment of the EU on democracies, the book features detailed case studies according to their different status vis-à-vis the EU, including older new member states: Poland and Hungary; newer new member states: Romania and Bulgaria; potential candidates: Albania and Serbia; and neighbour and remote neighbour states: Ukraine and Armenia. Each chapter addresses a range of dimensions and most relevant domains of inter-institutional accountability, that is: executive-legislative relationships; constitutional justice; decentralisation and regionalism; and the role of ombudsman or other relevant authorities. Seeking to assess how important the role of the EU has been in influencing the modes and characteristic of democracies and fundamental rights established in these regions, this book will be of interest to students and scholars of comparative politics, EU politics, Post-communist studies and democratization studies.

Product Description: At first, it was believed that accession to the EU would have a positive effect on the process of democratization in former communist countries. However, over time it became clear that difficulties with the democratic system endured in a number of these countries...read more

Product Description: Dieser Band bietet eine systematische Einführung in die mittel- und osteuropäischen Regierungssysteme. In themenspezifischen Kapiteln wird jeweils der Stand der wissenschaftlichen Literatur zusammengefasst dargestellt und mit empirischem Material für den Zeitraum von 1989/90-2009 unterlegt...read more

Product Description: Since 1995, the Nations in Transit series has monitored the status of democratic change from Central Europe to Eurasia and pinpointed for policymakers, researchers, journalists, and democracy advocates alike the greatest reform challenges and reform opportunities facing the countries and territories that make up this vast geographic space...read more

Product Description: The Political Economy of Transition in Eurasia looks at the progress in democratization and economic liberalization of the 27 post- communist countries of Eurasia with some guarded optimism. Belarus, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are clearly unabashed authoritarian regimes with only sporadic ventures toward political accountability and very limited effort to liberalize economically...read more

Product Description: Since 1995, the Nations in Transit series has monitored the status of that change and pinpointed for policymakers, researchers, journalists, and democracy advocates alike the greatest reform challenges and reform opportunities facing the countries and territories that make up this vast geographic space...read more

Product Description: Since 1995, the Nations in Transit series has monitored the status of that change and pinpointed for policymakers, researchers, journalists, and democracy advocates alike the greatest reform challenges and reform opportunities facing the countries and territories that make up this vast geographic space...read more

Product Description: Democracy is the hardest form of government to implement. It requires total commitment from everyone if it is going to work well and not leave segments of society permanently poor or disenfranchised. This book presents various models of minority participation in post-communist Europe based on the experiences of Hungarians in Slovakia and Romania, and Albanians in Macedonia...read more

Product Description: The concept of social capital has been used by political scientists to explain both the transition to democracy in Eastern Europe and the decline of social cohesion in Western societies. This edited collection presents the latest quantitative research on how post-communist countries are adapting to Western models of society...read more (view table of contents, read Amazon.com's description)

Product Description: This book looks at the achievements, problems, and prospects of democratization throughout the countries of East-central Europe, namely, Poland, Hungary, and the Czech and Slovak Republics. The study examines this region both country-wise, and thematically, giving special attention to historical and international factors as well as political parties, civil society, and political culture...read more (view table of contents, read Amazon.com's description)