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Democratic Innovations as a Tool to Restore Trust and Citizens’ Participation: A Comparison between Stakeholder Groups in Italy
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 3
Abstract
Recent changes in European countries have stimulated the search for multilevel policy interventions to restore citizens’ trust and engagement, focusing specifically on democratic innovations. Our paper presents the results of a survey conducted in 2025 as part of the Horizon TRUEDEM project,...
The Effect of Collective Narcissism, Populism and Trust of Older Adults on Conspiracy Mentality: Evidence from Poland
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 3
Abstract
The article examines the impact of collective narcissism, trust and populism on conspiracy mentality among citizens aged 65 and older in Poland. Understanding their behaviours and attitudes is crucial for at least two reasons. First, demographic shifts are leading to a growing proportion of...
Personality Traits, Trust in Institutions and Interpersonal Relationships Insights from Slovakia
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 3
Abstract
This paper examines the association between personality traits and trust. In this paper, trust is divided into two types: interpersonal and institutional. Both are fundamental for cohesion, reduction of social fragmentation, effective governance and institutional legitimacy....
The Political and Economic Context Contributing to the Problem of Political (Dis)Trust in Slovenia
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 3
Abstract
The article analyses the political and economic context of the growing distrust in politics in Slovenia over the last 15 years. Focus is given to the changes in the power relations, policy changes and roles of different national and international institutions. It is established that the fundamental...
Democratic Innovations in Central and Eastern Europe – The Perspective of Policymakers and Civil Society Organisations
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 3
Abstract
Political representation and democracy in several European countries have faced considerable challenges in recent decades. Especially worrying are the decline in electoral turnout and party membership, along with the decline in political trust and growing dissatisfaction with the functioning...
Artificial Intelligence and Political Trust
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 3
Abstract
This article is based on understanding political trust as a relational concept. In the frame of liberal democratic thought, the article refers to the relationship between citizens and political institutions, and the role played by political trust as the crucial glue that holds it together,...
Engagement or Expression? A Comparative Study of Facebook Politics in Twelve European Countries
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 3
Abstract
This article examines how citizens engage with political actors on Facebook across twelve European countries, focusing on the nature and intensity of user interaction. Drawing on a dataset of over 70,000 Facebook comments on posts by national-level political leaders, we conduct a comparative...
Editorial: Political Trust, the Challenges Faced by Democracies, and Democratic Innovations
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 3
Abstract
This special issue focuses on trust in political institutions, the challenges faced by democracies, and democratic innovations. Modern representative democracies encounter multiple challenges and criticisms associated with the quality of democracy and representation. Even though public opinion...
The Integration of the Eastern Partnership Countries’ Digital Markets into the EU Digital Single Market
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 2
Abstract
The aim of the article is to analyse the motives for integrating the digital markets of the Eastern Partnership countries into the EU Digital Single Market, as well as the challenges and opportunities that this integration creates. The EU Roadmap ‘Digital Compass 2030’, i.e. the Union’s strategic...
EU Energy Transformation and Diversification: Energy Security in the Context of Geopolitical Changes
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 2
Abstract
The presented topic deals with the transformation and diversification of the EU energy sector. Energy security is examined in the context of geopolitical changes and viewed through the lens of the interdependence between the EU and Russia in the import and export of fossil fuels. The...
Building Resilience Against Populism: The Crucial Role of Education in Promoting Human Dignity
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 2
Abstract
In an era marked by the rise of populist movements, this article examines the role of education in reducing the effects of this phenomenon, particularly their often-detrimental impact on the concept of human dignity. The study investigates the ways incorporating 'education on human dignity'...
The Advantage of Incumbency among Czech Mayors: Analysis of Election Results in the 128 Largest Cities in the Czech Republic
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 2
Abstract
The incumbency effect, where incumbents have a higher likelihood of electoral success, is a well‑documented phenomenon globally but remains under‑researched in the Czech Republic. This article investigates whether and to what extent the incumbency effect is present among Czech mayors. Using...
Possibilities of Implementing an E‑Voting System in Ukraine
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 2
Abstract
There are constant risks and threats to fair elections against the background of the current crisis of democratic civic engagement and the global pursuit of convenience in the digital age. The political and institutional context in Ukraine, including wartime displacement, occupation of territories...
This is Not an Arena for Party Leaders: Presidential Elections in the Third Republic of Poland
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 2
Abstract
Next to parliamentary elections, presidential elections in Poland are regarded as the key arena of political competition in Poland. On the one hand, the specific nature of the political system dictates that the significant, albeit negative, role of the head of state in shaping the law and the...
Truth and Reconciliation in Post-Conflict Ukraine
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 1
Abstract
This article deals with the effectiveness of a potential Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the case of Ukraine. A framework of common factors, which can either influence the effectiveness of a commission positively or negatively, is provided by analysing the cases of TRCs which were very...
Development of the Eastern Partnership Policy: Mechanism and Problems of Implementation
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 1
Abstract
Recent years have been marked by the transformation of the European Neighbourhood Policy within the framework of the Eastern Partnership into the expansion policy towards Ukraine and Moldova, as well as the withdrawal of Belarus from the programme. These circumstances determine the research’s...
The Impact of Electoral Gender Quota on Women’s Representation Trend in Parliaments of Western Balkan Countries
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 1
Abstract
Although women began to exercise their right to vote many years ago, women's representation in the national parliaments remains an issue to be addressed by many countries. The right to be elected is guaranteed through national and international legislation. In addition, Western Balkan countries...
Hungarian Foreign Policy towards the Turkic States: A Motivation for a More Authoritarian-Leaning Political Model or a Pragmatic Will for Economic Gain?
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 1
Abstract
This study examines the relationship between the recent discussions that Hungary has moved away from fundamental democratic values and turned into an illiberal democracy and the transformation of Hungarian foreign policy by taking Hungary’s relations with the Turkic states as a case. The dynamics...
The Faces of Joke Parties: Comparative Analysis of the Party Organization of the Hungarian Two-tailed Dog Party and the Die PARTEI
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 1
Abstract
This research aims to examine the organisational structure of two so-called joke parties: the Hungarian Two-Tailed Dog Party (MKKP) and the German Die PARTEI. These parties occupy a unique position within their respective party systems, as neither has secured seats in the national parliament....
‘No migration, no gender, no war’: Contradictions and paradox in Hungarian migration discourse
Issue:
Volume 21, Issue 1
Abstract
The Hungarian Government’s long-standing politicisation of migration has recently become more complex. Two factors are particularly important here. First, following Russia’s war on Ukraine, over 60,000 refugees have arrived in Hungary seeking temporary protection. Second, Hungary’s FDI-based...
The Interdependence of Socio‑economic Factors and Media Literacy: Focus on Critical Media Content Analysis and Evaluation
Issue:
Volume 20, Issue 4
Abstract
Media literacy is of fundamental importance for democracy, as it enables individuals to better navigate the complexity of digital media, critically evaluate media content and assess the trustworthiness of media representations. By promoting media literacy, societies can counter disinformation,...
Media in Power: Media Actors in Ukranian Legislative Body and Zelensky’s Phenomenon
Issue:
Volume 20, Issue 4
Abstract
The role of the media and its representatives has grown significantly due to mediatisation, which is especially evident in periods of weakening political institutions. In Ukraine, the Orange Revolution (2004) and the Revolution of Dignity (2013) opened the way to politics for an increasing...
Ripple/XRP in the Great Reset Conspiracy Theory: Comparative Analysis of Social Media in Poland and Slovenia
Issue:
Volume 20, Issue 4
Abstract
Conspiracy theories are attempts to explain important events, situations or their consequences as being guided by hidden powers, usually hostile towards ordinary people, originating from a secret agreement rather than emerging by coincidence. A particular increase in the popularity...
How Active and Passive Social Media Engagement on Facebook and Instagram Shapes Democratic Attitudes Among Users in Slovakia
Issue:
Volume 20, Issue 4
Abstract
Social media play an important role in the dissemination of political information and in political dialogue among agents, agencies and citizens. We study the effects of social media on democratic attitudes. Our analysis proceeds in two phases. First, we examine the effect of using eight social...
Only Another Adjective, or Finally a New Functional Post‑Ideological Subtype? A Conceptual Analysis of Valence Populism
Issue:
Volume 20, Issue 4
Abstract
This paper explores the impact of the increasing focus on subtypes of populism on contemporary discussions within the field of political science. In an effort to provide more precise descriptions of emerging political tendencies, scholars have responded by introducing new and other types of...
Return to Power: The Illiberal Playbook from Hungary, Poland and the United States
Issue:
Volume 20, Issue 4
Abstract
This article examines how illiberal leaders’ behaviour towards the judiciary changes when they have a second chance in power. Drawing on Varieties of Democracy indicators for populist rhetoric and constitutional change, we identify several OECD worst performers and focus on two –...
Who or What Caused the Rise of Populism?
Issue:
Volume 20, Issue 4
Abstract
The article deals with who or what led to strengthening populist politics and its agents. This is a mutual combination of structural, cultural, political, media, etc. factors whereby one must recognise specifics in each country. However, the author pays special attention to the role of...
Role of Central Executive Authorities in the Formation and Implementation of the State National Memory Policy in Ukraine
Issue:
Volume 20, Issue 3
Abstract
In Ukraine there is a powerful public demand for national memory policy because, in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian war, the awareness of the Ukrainian civil identity has intensified. Therefore, revising the system of public administration in the field of national memory is relevant, given...
Contested Statehood and EU Integration: The Case of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Issue:
Volume 20, Issue 3
Abstract
This article delves into the intricate relationship between contested statehood and European Union (EU) integration, explicitly focusing on Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Since the early 1990s, amidst the dissolution of Yugoslavia and the EU’s enlargement efforts, BiH has grappled with challenges...
Silent Struggles: Exploring Apathy and Civic Passivity among Czech Citizens in Debt Enforcement
Issue:
Volume 20, Issue 3
Abstract
This research paper presents a novel contribution to the field by addressing an important and previously neglected issue: the impact of debt enforcement actions on the political views of Czech citizens. The study employs a qualitative research design and draws on data collected through interviews...