Origin Ideology and Transformation of Political Parties

Two decades have passed since the transition to democracy began in Eastern Europe. Today West and East-Central European countries share a common political space - the European Union. This has created a fascinating opportunity for analysis of the similarities and differences between these countries. Here Vít Hloušek and Lubomír Kopecek critically apply the party-families approach to political parties in the Czech Republic Hungary Poland Slovakia and Slovenia. With chapters devoted to social democrats greens the far right and left amongst many others this book charts the parties' origins ideologies and international ties alongside their Western European counterparts. By examining the political relevance of different party families Hloušek and Kopecek are able to assess the validity of this typology in the analysis of the transformation of political parties in this region. Detailed analysis coupled with an innovative application of the party families approach makes this essential reading for students of party politics.