Governing New European Democracies

Governing New Democracies is a fully comparative study of decision-making processes in the cabinets of ten post-communist countries of East-Central and South-Eastern Europe. It is based on interviews collected from over 300 ministers to such questions as how far do cabinet members participate in cabinet meetings, how do they assess their prime ministers, how do they relate to their departments and to the civil servants under them. Thus, this book provides the first comprehensive panorama of life in cabinet governments from those who are the main actors in these institutions.

JEAN BLONDEL is Professional Fellow at the European University Institute and Visiting Professor at the University of Sienna. FERDINAND MÜLLER-ROMMEL is Professor for Comparative Politics and Director of the Centre for the Study of Democracy at the University of LÜneburg, Germany. DARINA MALOVA is Professor of Political Science at the Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovakia.

Introduction: Cabinet decision-making in post-communist parliamentary democracies: A framework for comparative analysis * PART 1: THE GENERAL ARRANGEMENTS * Types and stability of party systems * Types and durability of cabinet governments * The rules and the operating procedures in cabinet * The overall view: what ministers think of cabinet government * PART 2: PARTIES AND TYPES OF CABINETS IN THE VIEW OF MINISTERS * Party government and cabinet decision-making * Coalitions, single party governments and cabinet decision-making * PART 3: THE CABINET ADMINISTRATION IN THE VIEW OF MINISTERS * Prime ministerial staff and cabinet decision-making * Civil servants and cabinet decision-making * PART 4: THE MEMBERS OF CABINETS IN THE VIEW OF THE MINISTERS * The role of ministers in cabinet decision-making * The role of the finance minister in cabinet decision-making * The role of prime ministers in cabinet decision-making * CONCLUSION: The characteristics of cabinet decision-making in post-communist parliamentary governments Introduction: Cabinet decision-making in post-communist parliamentary democracies: A framework for comparative analysis * PART 1: THE GENERAL ARRANGEMENTS * Types and stability of party systems * Types and durability of cabinet governments * The rules and the operating procedures in cabinet * The overall view: what ministers think of cabinet government * PART 2: PARTIES AND TYPES OF CABINETS IN THE VIEW OF MINISTERS * Party government and cabinet decision-making * Coalitions, single party governments and cabinet decision-making * PART 3: THE CABINET ADMINISTRATION IN THE VIEW OF MINISTERS * Prime ministerial staff and cabinet decision-making * Civil servants and cabinet decision-making * PART 4: THE MEMBERS OF CABINETS IN THE VIEW OF THE MINISTERS * The role of ministers in cabinet decision-making * The role of the finance minister in cabinet decision-making * The role of prime ministers in cabinet decision-making * CONCLUSION: The characteristics of cabinet decision-making in post-communist parliamentary governments