Archive 1/2010

Abstract

Several main factors have influenced the beginning of debate cycles regarding statutory rule changes in Slovenia: a) institutional adaptation to modernisation processes linked to the development of a liberal-type democracy; b) the political prioritisation of EU integration processes (also among other fields) in the institutional adaptation of the national parliament for the speedy adoption of the acquis; and c) the changing characteristics of the party system. The influence of these factors has fluctuated over time. Whereas during the 1990s responses to modernisation pressures and the changing characteristics of the party system prevailed, adaptations to European pressures remained the most important from the end of the 1990s until recently. In the context of a relatively consolidated young democracy, including consolidation of the party system (after Slovenia’s full EU membership), ‘normalisation’ in terms of party struggles over the statutory rules in order to maximise political gains can be expected to predominate in the future.

Key words

parliament, statutory rules, Slovenia, Europeanisation, modernisation

Abstract

This article analyses the EU Council Presidency carried out by the Czech Republic in the first six months of 2009. This presidency was accompanied by deep contempt, even before it began. After reviewing the theory of presidency and possible evaluating criteria, it analyzes the course of the Czech presidency and compares it with the low expectations. In addition to the political process and context of the presidency, media perception is also taken into account. The article argues that the Czech term fulfilled the basic tasks and functions expected from an EU Council presidency. However, weak media presentation of the Czech presidency and several controversial events led to a perception of the presidency as a catastrophe and confirmed previously expressed concerns.

Key words

EU Council Presidency, European Union, Czech Republic, European Council

Abstract

This article analyzes one of the most controversial subjects of the Czech political system, the Commissions of Inquiry of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic. Such commissions are regularly established to lead enquires on important events of public interest. Review of scholarly sources offers two contrasting views of commissions. Either they function as a tool of the entire Parliament to control the executive, or as a tool of parliamentary opposition against the government. Both competing hypotheses are tested by employing quantitative methods. The data come from a completely new dataset created by the author that is based on voting patterns of political groups in cases related to commissions of inquiry. Graphical and numeral results of statistical analysis confirm that commissions in the Czech Chamber of Deputies usually serve as an instrument of political struggle between opposition and government (coalition). This claim, however, is only tentative and needs to be supported by further qualitative analysis of the functioning of commissions of inquiry.

Key words

Commission (committee) of inquiry, Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, voting patterns, Czech parliamentary political parties, control of the executive, quantitative methods

Abstract

The paper shall introduce the concept of negative voting, which is based on an endeavor to more freely show our personal preference during elections. A theoretical principle is derived from perception of Dahl’s democratic process criteria, liberal concepts of freedom, equality and justice. In particular situations, this principle increases the rate of formal freedom for individual voter.

Key words

negative voting, freedom, justice, democracy, criteria for a democratic process

Abstract

This article presents and describes the evolution of discussions about reform of the electoral system regarding representative bodies in communist Czechoslovakia in the late eighties; in addition, it also deals with specific proposed versions of electoral reform at that time and their potential consequences for the political system. The article starts with a brief overview of the special role of uncompetitive and undemocratic elections and their mechanisms in Central and Eastern Europe during the Communist era. Then, the origins of the proposed electoral reform in Czechoslovakia are described. Next, two alternative proposals from the time, and their possible consequences are introduced. In the last part, the paper analyzes the parliamentary by-elections of 1989 in Czechoslovakia that were held in new conditions of electoral competition (plurality of candidates), wherein one of the proposed versions of the electoral reform was used.

Key words

uncompetitive election, electoral reform, Czechoslovakia, Communist Party, by-election

Abstract

Martin Malia. 2009. Lokomotivy dějin. Revoluce a utváření moderního světa, Brno: Centrum pro studium demokracie a kultury, 427 pages.

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Jan Drahokoupil. 2009. Globalization and The State in Central and Eastern Europe: The Politics of Foreign Direct Investment, London/New York: Routledge, 237 pages.

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Ladislav Cabada et al. 2009. Evropa regionů, Plzeň: Aleš Čeněk, 223 pages.

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