Archive 3/2013

Michal Klíma
Department of Political Science and Humanities, Metropolitan University Prague, Czech Republic
email: klima@mup.cz

Abstract

It is clear from political science literature that political parties are not static entities. Similar to other political institutions, they tend to transform with time, in response to changes in their surrounding environment. If the economic, social, cultural and political parameters in society are to substantially change, it is possible to deduce a change in the role of a political party and its organisational structure. The transition from totalitarian to democratic societies in Central, and partially in Eastern Europe, presents a process so unique that one may legitimately question if this has not resulted in a serious modification of the catch-all party type. In the region of Central Europe, Czechoslovakia – and after 1993 the Czech Republic – presents a special case, where during political and economic transformation next to general features, specific factors were also enforced, which eventually influenced the set-up and formation of parties in their early stages. It is left to consideration and further scrutiny to decide whether the unrepeatable environment of the Czech-Moravian melting pot, has not cultivated the clientelistic form of political party.

Key words

Political Parties, Clientelistic Party, Party System, Clientelistic Democracy, Czech Party Politics

Michael J. Baun
Department of Political Science, Valdosta State University, Georgia, USA
email: mbaun@valdosta.edu

Dan Marek
Department of Political Science and European Studies, Faculty of Arts, Palacký University, Czech Republic
email: dmarek@tiscali.cz

Abstract

Within the context of the ongoing scholarly debate on post-accession compliance in the Central and Eastern European new member states, this paper examines the implementation of EU environmental policy in the Czech Republic since 2004, focusing on the transposition and application of six EU directives. It argues that, while the Czech Republic has had some difficulty complying with EU environmental law since becoming a member state, overall its performance in this area does not conform to pessimistic scenarios, but instead presents a more complex and differentiated picture. It also discusses the main factors inhibiting and supporting the implementation of EU environmental policy in the Czech Republic, showing that these tend to vary according to the specific issue or directive concerned.

Key words

Compliance; European Union; Czech Republic; environmental policy; post-accession; Central andEastern Europe.

Filip Murár
Institute of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
email: filip.murar@seznam.cz

Abstract

The aim of the presented paper is to frame specific alternatives for the regional reform of the second chamber of the Czech legislature on the basis of a comparative analysis of regional second chambers in Western Europe. The similarities and differences between second chambers of parliament in Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and France are identified (with respect to their historical origin, the method of election, size, political composition, constitutional powers, relation to the first chamber and relation to the executive branch of power). Also the strength of the second chambers is analyzed and the chambers are put on Lijphart’s typological scale according to the criteria of congruence and symmetry. The analysis is then the source for two main alternatives for the possible regional reform of the Czech Senate – representative regional reform and functional regional reform.

Key words

Czech Republic, parliamentarism, Senate, bicameralism, reform, elections, representation, regions

Alena Kluknavská
Department of Political Science, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University, Slovakia
email: alena.kluknavska@uniba.sk

Abstract

The paper analyzes the far right People’s Party Our Slovakia (ĽSNS) in 2006, 2010 and 2012 Slovak parliamentary elections. The main questions that the paper seeks to answer are 1) whether and how has the party changed its main themes during the periods before elections, 2) what the party’s position toward the Roma minority has been, and 3) how the thematic adaptation has affected electoral results of the party. The paper analyzes the changing position of the party toward the Roma minority in the context of three electoral periods and it links the party’s electoral results with the occurrence of so-called Roma settlements in the areas, where the party gained a significant share of the vote. We found that during the 2006 elections the party mostly emphasized the need for the renaissance of the (Slovak) nation and the reflection of its roots and national historical figures. In both the 2010 and 2012 elections the party for the most part sharply criticized the Roma minority and the mainstream political parties. We argue that this change was reflected in the party’s electoral gain. Since 2010 the party has changed its focus to an active campaign against Roma and electoral results of the party have improved. In 2006 ĽSNS gained the most votes in areas where the local appeal of its leaders emphasizing the nationalistic themes was the largest and in both 2010 and 2012 the party gained the most votes in regions with the highest occurrence of Roma settlements. We also identified all four features that according to Mudde (2000) characterize far right parties in the electoral themes emphasized by ĽSNS.

Key words

far right parties, far right, Roma, parliamentary elections, Slovakia, People‘s Party Our Slovakia, ĽSNS

Martin Mejstřík
Institute of International Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University, Czech Republic
email: mejstrik.m@seznam.cz

Abstract

The paper deals with the organizational model of political parties created by Italian political scientist Angelo Panebianco. For presentation of this, outside Italian academic discourse, an „unknown“ model is necessary to briefly describe the whole organizational theory and to introduce the review of this model. After that we examine the applicability of Panebianco ́s scheme on the structural transformation of communist political parties at the end of 1980s. This suitability will be measured on the case example of the Italian Communist Party (PCI). The PCI was historically the strongest and most influential communist party outside the Soviet bloc and that is why it is convenient to apply the organizational model to the organizational changes of the PCI during its transformation. We also define five main criteria of these changes and their compatibility with the Panebianco ́s model. Thus the main aim of this paper is to prove the suitability of the organizational model not only to the structural transformation of the Italian communists but using this case example also to the universal transformation of the communist parties in the western world.

Key words

Angelo Panebianco, Party organization model, Italian Communist Party, Institutionalization

Lukáš Tichý
Department of Political Science, Faculty of Arts, Hradec Králové University, Czech Republic
email: lukas.tichy@uhk.cz

Abstract

The issue of the Temelín nuclear power plant completion, which will have significant implications for the future of the Czech economy and energy sector, is currently one of the most debated political, security and economic questions in the Czech Republic. The main goal of this article is to define basic themes in Czech political discourse on completion of the Temelín nuclear power plant. The second aim of the article is to analyze development of Czech public discourse on the construction of the third and fourth block at the Temelín nuclear power plant. Methodologically, the article is based on thematic and content analysis. The period spanning from August 2009 to July 2012 is investigated.

Key words

Czech Republic, ČEZ, discourse analysis, nuclear energy, Temelín nuclear power plant.

Petr Fiala
Department of International Relations and European Studies, Faculty of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Czech Republic
email: pfiala@muni.cz

Abstract

Religion in contemporary Europe has been forced out of politics but religious themes repeatedly return in European politics. The article deals with the question of how the Catholic faith, as as a symbol of identification, and the political and social issues conditioned by Catholic faith influence current European policy. Sociological research has indicated a link between identification with the Church and social attitudes, and the influence of religious identification on the approach toward European integration. The key theme of the article is the analysis of religious topics at the political level and the consequences of the struggle of the cross, as well as the resulting influence on political or judicial power in European countries. Using specific examples, it is shown that some of the manifestations of the Catholic faith represent an identification symbol and that religious themes have remained strong.

Key words

Religion, European politics, European integration, catholic faith, identity

Abstract

Stokes, D., Raphael, S. 2010. Global Energy Security and American Hegemony, Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press. 280 pages.

Key words

Abstract

Maďarová, Z., Ostertágová, A. 2012. Politika vylúčenia a emócií - aspekty predvolebnej kampane 2012 Bratislava: ASPEKT. 108 pages.

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Abstract

Kubát, M. 2013. Současná česká politika. Co s neefektivním státem? Brno: Barrister & Principal, 119 pages.

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