Political research is no different from experiences in other areas of social life, meaning we pay more attention to novelties, sudden twists and turns in politics, and promising newcomers than to stable, predictable political actors and institutions. This does not change the fact that the stability and durability of political parties are considered essential for the consolidation of democracy in post-communist Europe, which is often still portrayed as characterised by high electoral volatility, the frequent emergence of new parties and weak party structures. Nevertheless, there are political parties in the countries of this region that have managed, albeit not always unscathed, to survive the turmoil of the early years of political transformation and competition from fresh and, at first glance, attractive political projects, and to firmly establish their position on the political scene. The main research question is whether similarities can be identified between them, or whether each party has found its own recipe for success and its own Holy Grail.
Assuming that organisation, leadership, serving as a standard-bearer on a major issue divide in programmatic competition, putting down roots in the social fabric, and adaptability are key to the party's sustainability, we will compare whether this is the case for parties in Central and Eastern Europe.
