Formula for success and recipe for defeat: permanence and transience of political parties in Central and Eastern European countries – comparative analysis

Abstract

For historical reasons, political parties in Central and Eastern Europe do not have as long a lifespan as their counterparts in Western Europe. The dynamics of the emergence and disappearance of new political actors were most pronounced in the first decade after the democratic transition. However, the political market in this region of Europe is still described as semi-open. By analysing the factors that have enabled some parties to survive in a volatile political market, while others have been unable to continue operating despite often promising beginnings, the panel aims to reflect on the condition of political parties as organisations. We suggest considering issues such as party leadership, communication efficiency, social roots, the ability to build lasting relationships with allies, and adaptability to changing voter expectations. We welcome presentations on case studies that illustrate a formula for a party’s success or a recipe for failure, as well as comparative analyses both within a single party system and across countries (e.g. parties belonging to the same ideological family). This will enable us to identify recurring mechanisms that explain the stability and fragility of political party organisations in the new democracies in the third decade of the 21st century.

Title	Details
Do Parties Still Need Structures and Members to Survive? Some Remarks on Entrepreneurial Parties in Poland	View Paper Details
Party survival and organizational fluidity in new democracies. The Romanian example	View Paper Details
From Newcomers to Professionals? Political Career Paths in New Parties: Evidence from Poland	View Paper Details
Change of party leadership as a remedy against party decline	View Paper Details
Is the stability and durability of political parties the Holy Grail in post-communist European countries?	View Paper Details
Resilience and Demise of the Left in the Visegrád Countries, Crises Within the Polycrisis	View Paper Details