Independent Candidates in the Local Elections of 2014 in the Czech Republic and Slovakia: Analysis of Determinants of Their Successfulness
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4335/14.4.853-871(2016)Keywords:
Local Elections, Independent Candidates, Czech Republic, SlovakiaAbstract
The goal of this article is to test various factors which can potentially explain differences in independents’ representation at the local level in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. As the size of a municipality was the almost single factor, whose influence was in both countries at the same direction, together with the generally rather low levels of explained variability, we suggest that for a more adequate explanation of the independents’ successfulness, we need to look for other indicators that could far better than the usual socio-demographic variables characterize the form of political competition in the specific municipalities, particularly in those which are associated with a specific political culture or other indicators of similar type, which can be difficult to abstract from aggregate data and their use would require the implementation of specific research on the local level.
References
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Boogers, M. & Voerman, G. (2010) Independent Local Political Parties in the Netherlands, Local Government Studies, 36(1), pp. 75–90.
Brancati, D. (2008) Winning Alone: The Electoral Fate of Independent Candidates Worldwide, The Journal of Politics, 70(3), pp. 648–662.
Bullock, C. S., III. & MacManus, S. A. (1991) Municipal Electoral Structure and the Election of Councilwomen, Journal of Politics, 53(1), pp. 75–89.
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Gendźwiłł, A., & Żółtak, T. (2014) Why Do Non-partisans Challenge Parties in Local Politics? The (Extreme) Case of Poland, Europe-Asia Studies, 66(7), pp. 1122–1145.
Grant, W. P. (1973) Non-partisanship in British Local Politics, Policy and Politics, 1(1), pp. 241–254.
Haček, M. (2010) Non-partisan Local Actors As The Element Of Absorbed Local Democracy?, Romanian Journal of Political Science, 10(1), pp. 38–51.
Hloušek, V. & Kopeček, L. (2008) Cleavages in the Contemporary Czech and Slovak Politics Between Persistence and Change, East European Politics & Societies, 22(3), pp. 518–552.
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Jančák, V., Havlíček, T., Chromý, P. & Marada, M. (2008) Regional Differentiation of Selected Conditions for the Development of Human and Social Capital in Czechia, Geografie, 113(3), pp. 269–284.
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Kostelecký, T. (2011) Politická participace: analýza účasti ve volbách v roce 2010 a jejích determinant, In: Čermák, D. & Vobecká, J. (eds.) Spolupráce, partnerství a participace v místní veřejné správě: význam, praxe, příslib (Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství), pp. 60–83.
Kostelecký, T., & Čermák, D. (2004) Vliv teritoriálně specifických faktorů na formování politických orientací voličů, Sociologický časopis, 40(4), pp. 469–487.
Kostelecký, T. & Krivý, V. (2015) Urbánno-rurálne rozdiely voličského správania v Česku a na Slovensku, Sociológia, 47(4), pp. 390–413.
Kouba, K. (2007) Prostorová analýza českého stranického systému. Institucionalizace a prostorové režimy, Sociologický časopis, 43(5), pp. 1017–1037.
Krivý, V. (1996) Kryštalizácia základných politických zoskupení vo vzťahu k deleniam a štiepeniam slovenskej spoločnosti, Sociológia, 28(2), pp. 127–146.
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Linek, L. (ed.) (2010) Voliči a volby 2010 (Praha: SLON).
Linek, L., & Lyons, P. (2013) Dočasná stabilita? Volební podpora politických stran v České republice v letech 1990 – 2010 (Praha: SLON).
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Madleňák, T. (2012) Regionálna diferenciácia volebného správania na Slovensku (1998 - 2010) (Bratislava: VEDA).
Maškarinec, P. (2015) Nationalisation of the Czech Local Party System: Case Study of the 2010 Local Elections in Municipalities with Extended Powers, Sociológia, 47(6), pp. 625–656.
Maškarinec, P. (2016) Determinants of Women’s Descriptive Representation on the City Boards of the Czech Statutory Cities after the Local Elections of 2014, Slovak Journal of Political Science, 16(2), pp. 113–133.
Ndletyana, M. (2007) Municipal elections 2006: protests, independent candidates and cross-border municipalities, In: Buhlungu, S., Daniel, J., Southall, R. & Lutchman, J. (eds.) State of the Nation – South Africa 2007 (Cape Town: HSRC Press), pp. 95–113.
Newton, K. (1982) Is Small Really so Beautiful? Is Big Really so Ugly? Size, Effectiveness, and Democracy in Local Government, Political Studies, 30(2), pp. 190–206.
Plešivčák, M. (2011) Postavenie regiónov Slovenska z hľadiska územej volebnej podpory politických strán v parlamentných voľbách v rokoch 2002-2010, Geografický časopis, 63(3), pp. 227–251.
Reiser, M. & Holtmann, E. (eds.) (2008) Farewell to the Party Model? Independent Local Lists in East and West European Countries (Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften).
Ryšavý, D. & Bernard, J. (2013) Size and Local Democracy: the Case of Czech Municipal Representatives, Local Government Studies, 39(6), pp. 833–852.
Ryšavý, D. & Šaradín, P. (2010) Straníci, bezpartijní a nezávislí zastupitelé na českých radnicích, Sociologický časopis, 46(5), pp. 719–743.
Smith, A., Reingold, B. & Owens, M. L. (2012) The Political Determinants of Women’s Descriptive Representation in Cities, Political Research Quarterly, 65(2), pp. 315–329.
Swianiewicz, P. (2014) An Empirical Typology of Local Government Systems in Eastern Europe, Local Government Studies, 40(2), pp. 292–311.
Szöllös, J. (2006) Regióny volebnej podpory vybraných politických strán v parlamentných volbách 1998, 2002 a 2006, Geografická revue, 2(2), pp. 650–669.
Šaradín, P. (2004) Neparlamentní subjekty ve volbách do obecních zastupitelstev, Politologický časopis, 2004(1), pp. 109–120.
Šprincová, V. (2014) Analýza výsledků voleb do zastupitelstev měst a obcí 2014 z hlediska zastoupení žen (Praha: Fórum 50%).
Thomassen, J. (2005) Introduction, In: Thomassen, J. (ed.) The European Voter. AComparative Study of Modern Democracies (Oxford: Oxford University Press), pp. 1–21.
Wittman, D. (1989) Why Democracies Produce Efficient Results, Journal of Political Economy, 97(6), pp. 1395 – 1424.</span></p>
Anckar, C. (2000) Size and Party System Fragmentation, Party Politics, 6(3), pp. 305–328.
Bakoš, E., Soukopová, J., & Šelešovský, J. (2015) The Historical Roots of Local Self-Government in Czech and Slovak Republics, Lex Localis – Journal of Local Self-Government, 13(1), pp. 1–19.
Balík, S. (ed.) (2003) Komunální volby v České republice v roce 2002 (Brno: Mezinárodní politologický ústav).
Balík, S. (2008) Česká komunální politika v obcích s rozšířenou působností. Koalice, voličské vzorce a politické strany na místní úrovni v letech 1994 – 2006 (Brno: CDK).
Balík, S. (2009) Komunální politika. Obce, aktéři a cíle místní politiky (Praha: Grada).
Balík, S., Gongala, P. & Gregor, K. (2015) Dvacet let komunálnch voleb v ČR (Brno: CDK).
Birch, S. (2010) Perceptions of Electoral Fairness and Voter Turnout, Comparative Political Studies, 43(12), pp. 1601–1622.
Bolleyer, N. & Weeks, L. (2009) The puzzle of non-party actors in party democracy: Independents in Ireland, Comparative European Politics, 7(3), pp. 299–324.
Boogers, M. & Voerman, G. (2010) Independent Local Political Parties in the Netherlands, Local Government Studies, 36(1), pp. 75–90.
Brancati, D. (2008) Winning Alone: The Electoral Fate of Independent Candidates Worldwide, The Journal of Politics, 70(3), pp. 648–662.
Bullock, C. S., III. & MacManus, S. A. (1991) Municipal Electoral Structure and the Election of Councilwomen, Journal of Politics, 53(1), pp. 75–89.
Copus, C., Clark, A., Reynaert, H. & Steyvers, K. (2009) Minor Party and Independent Politics beyond the Mainstream: Fluctuating Fortunes but a Permanent Presence, Parliamentary Affairs, 62 (1), pp. 4–18.
Costar, B. & Curtin, J. (2004) Rebels with a Cause: Independents in Australian Politics (Sydney: UNSW Press).
Csachová, S. & Nestorová-Dická, J. (2011) Territorial Structure of Local Government in the Slovak Republic, the Czech Republic and the Hungarian Republic – A Comparative View, Geografický časopis, 63(3), pp. 209–225.
Dahl, R. A. & Tufte, E. R. (1973) Size and Democracy (Stanford: Stanford University Press).
Ehin, P. & Solvak, M. (2012) Party Voters Gone Astray: Explaining Independent Candidate Success in the 2009 European Elections in Estonia, Journal of Elections, Public Opinion & Parties, 22(3), pp. 269–291.
Filadelfiová, J., Radišová, I. & Puliš, P. (2000) Ženy v politike (Bratislava: S.P.A.C.E., MPSVR SR).
Gendźwiłł, A. (2012) Independent Mayors and Local Lists in Large Polish Cities: Towards a Non-partisan Model of Local Government?, Local Government Studies, 38(4), pp. 501–518.
Gendźwiłł, A., & Żółtak, T. (2014) Why Do Non-partisans Challenge Parties in Local Politics? The (Extreme) Case of Poland, Europe-Asia Studies, 66(7), pp. 1122–1145.
Grant, W. P. (1973) Non-partisanship in British Local Politics, Policy and Politics, 1(1), pp. 241–254.
Haček, M. (2010) Non-partisan Local Actors As The Element Of Absorbed Local Democracy?, Romanian Journal of Political Science, 10(1), pp. 38–51.
Hloušek, V. & Kopeček, L. (2008) Cleavages in the Contemporary Czech and Slovak Politics Between Persistence and Change, East European Politics & Societies, 22(3), pp. 518–552.
Hooghe, M. & Quintelier, E. (2014) Political Participation in European Countries: The Effect of Authoritarian Rule, Corruption, Lack of Good Governance and Economic Downturn, Comparative European Politics, 12(2), pp. 209–232.
Jančák, V., Havlíček, T., Chromý, P. & Marada, M. (2008) Regional Differentiation of Selected Conditions for the Development of Human and Social Capital in Czechia, Geografie, 113(3), pp. 269–284.
Johansson, V. (2006) Gendered roads to mayorship in different welfare states, In: Bäck, H., Heinelt, H., & Magnier, A. (eds.) The European Mayor: Political Leaders in the Changing Context of Local Democracy (Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften), pp. 99–121.
Jones, P. & Hudson, J. (1998) The role of political parties: An analysis based on transaction costs, Public Choice, 94(1–2), pp. 175–189.
Jüptner, P. (2004) Komunální koalice a politické modely, Politologická revue, 10(2), pp. 80–101.
Jüptner, P. (2008) Local Lists in the Czech Republic, In: Reiser, M. & Holtmann, E. (eds.) Farewell to the Party Model? Independent Local Lists in East and West European Countries (Baden-Baden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften), pp. 21–38.
Kjær, U., & Elklit, J. (2010) Party politicisation of local councils: Cultural or institutional explanations for trends in Denmark, 1966–2005, European Journal of Political Research, 49(3), pp. 337–358.
Klimovský, D. & Žúborová, V. (2011) Komunálne voľby 2010, In: Bútora, M., Kollár, M. & Mesežnikov, G. (eds.) Slovensko 2010: Správa o stave spoločnosti a demokracie a o trendoch na rok 2011 (Bratislava: Inštitút pre verejné otázky), pp. 131–150.
Kostelecký, T. (1995) Rozdíly chování regionálních populací a jejich příčiny (Praha: Sociologický ústav AV ČR).
Kostelecký, T. (2005) Electoral Reforms at the Sub-National Level in the Post-Communist Czech Republic, In: Reynaert, H., Steyvers, K., Delwit, P. & Pilet, J. B. (eds.) Revolution or Renovation? Reforming Local Politics in Europe (Brugge: Vanden Broele), pp. 103–127.
Kostelecký, T. (2011) Politická participace: analýza účasti ve volbách v roce 2010 a jejích determinant, In: Čermák, D. & Vobecká, J. (eds.) Spolupráce, partnerství a participace v místní veřejné správě: význam, praxe, příslib (Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství), pp. 60–83.
Kostelecký, T., & Čermák, D. (2004) Vliv teritoriálně specifických faktorů na formování politických orientací voličů, Sociologický časopis, 40(4), pp. 469–487.
Kostelecký, T. & Krivý, V. (2015) Urbánno-rurálne rozdiely voličského správania v Česku a na Slovensku, Sociológia, 47(4), pp. 390–413.
Kouba, K. (2007) Prostorová analýza českého stranického systému. Institucionalizace a prostorové režimy, Sociologický časopis, 43(5), pp. 1017–1037.
Krivý, V. (1996) Kryštalizácia základných politických zoskupení vo vzťahu k deleniam a štiepeniam slovenskej spoločnosti, Sociológia, 28(2), pp. 127–146.
Lebeda, T., Linek, L., Lyons, P. & Vlachová, K. (2006) Voliči a volby 2006 (Praha: Sociologický ústav AV ČR).
Lidström, A. (2010) Sweden: Party-Dominated Subnational Democracy under Challenge?, In: Loughlin, J., Hendriks, F. & Lidström, A. (eds.) The Oxford Handbook of Local and Regional Democracy in Europe (Oxford: Oxford University Press), pp. 261–281.
Linek, L. (ed.) (2010) Voliči a volby 2010 (Praha: SLON).
Linek, L., & Lyons, P. (2013) Dočasná stabilita? Volební podpora politických stran v České republice v letech 1990 – 2010 (Praha: SLON).
Lipset, S. M. & Rokkan, S. (1967) Cleavage Structures, Party Systems, and Voter Alignments: An Introduction, In: Lipset, S. M., & Rokkan, S. (eds.) Party Systems and Voter Alignments: Cross-National Perspectives (New York: The Free Press), pp. 1–64.
Madleňák, T. (2012) Regionálna diferenciácia volebného správania na Slovensku (1998 - 2010) (Bratislava: VEDA).
Maškarinec, P. (2015) Nationalisation of the Czech Local Party System: Case Study of the 2010 Local Elections in Municipalities with Extended Powers, Sociológia, 47(6), pp. 625–656.
Maškarinec, P. (2016) Determinants of Women’s Descriptive Representation on the City Boards of the Czech Statutory Cities after the Local Elections of 2014, Slovak Journal of Political Science, 16(2), pp. 113–133.
Ndletyana, M. (2007) Municipal elections 2006: protests, independent candidates and cross-border municipalities, In: Buhlungu, S., Daniel, J., Southall, R. & Lutchman, J. (eds.) State of the Nation – South Africa 2007 (Cape Town: HSRC Press), pp. 95–113.
Newton, K. (1982) Is Small Really so Beautiful? Is Big Really so Ugly? Size, Effectiveness, and Democracy in Local Government, Political Studies, 30(2), pp. 190–206.
Plešivčák, M. (2011) Postavenie regiónov Slovenska z hľadiska územej volebnej podpory politických strán v parlamentných voľbách v rokoch 2002-2010, Geografický časopis, 63(3), pp. 227–251.
Reiser, M. & Holtmann, E. (eds.) (2008) Farewell to the Party Model? Independent Local Lists in East and West European Countries (Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften).
Ryšavý, D. & Bernard, J. (2013) Size and Local Democracy: the Case of Czech Municipal Representatives, Local Government Studies, 39(6), pp. 833–852.
Ryšavý, D. & Šaradín, P. (2010) Straníci, bezpartijní a nezávislí zastupitelé na českých radnicích, Sociologický časopis, 46(5), pp. 719–743.
Smith, A., Reingold, B. & Owens, M. L. (2012) The Political Determinants of Women’s Descriptive Representation in Cities, Political Research Quarterly, 65(2), pp. 315–329.
Swianiewicz, P. (2014) An Empirical Typology of Local Government Systems in Eastern Europe, Local Government Studies, 40(2), pp. 292–311.
Szöllös, J. (2006) Regióny volebnej podpory vybraných politických strán v parlamentných volbách 1998, 2002 a 2006, Geografická revue, 2(2), pp. 650–669.
Šaradín, P. (2004) Neparlamentní subjekty ve volbách do obecních zastupitelstev, Politologický časopis, 2004(1), pp. 109–120.
Šprincová, V. (2014) Analýza výsledků voleb do zastupitelstev měst a obcí 2014 z hlediska zastoupení žen (Praha: Fórum 50%).
Thomassen, J. (2005) Introduction, In: Thomassen, J. (ed.) The European Voter. AComparative Study of Modern Democracies (Oxford: Oxford University Press), pp. 1–21.
Wittman, D. (1989) Why Democracies Produce Efficient Results, Journal of Political Economy, 97(6), pp. 1395 – 1424.</span></p>
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2016-10-31
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