Elections and Democratization in Ukraine

Elections and Democratization in Ukraine analyses the role of competitive elections in the Ukraine's crucial democratic transition period of 1989 to 1998, focusing on how Ukrainian voters make vote choices and which electoral cleavages are most important. Contrary to those who claim that the Soviet Union left in its wake an atomized society with weak social divisions, this study argues that the Ukrainian electorate has from the advent of competitive elections exhibited relatively stable voting behaviour.

Autorentext

SARAH BIRCH is Lecturer in Politics at the University of Essex. Her research interests include elections and democratization, institutional design in Eastern Europe and democratic theory.

Inhalt
List of Tables and Figures Acknowledgements Note on Transliteration and Abbreviation Introduction The Emergence of Electoral Cleavages: Theoretical Preliminaries The Beginning of Choice: Elections to the Congress of People's Deputies, 1989 The Crystallization of Opposition: The Parliamentary Elections of 1990 Mobilizing for Independence: The Referendum and Presidential Elections of 1991 Independent Ukraine Votes: The Parliamentary and Presidential Elections of 1994 Party System Definition: The Parliamentary Elections of 1998 Democratization and Electoral Behaviour in Ukraine, 1989-1998 Conclusion Appendix Bibliography Index