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The paper examines the role of party system in the outcome of pension reform in Central and Eastern Europe. Mapping party positions in a bi-dimensional space, in which one dimension is left-right and the second is a nationalist-authoritarian vs. cosmopolitan-libertarian dimension, allows predicting the likely pro-reform and anti-reform coalitions. The success of reform in the long-run depends on the types of coalitions that can form and the existence of a minimal consensus between the major left and right parties on the basic blueprint of reform. A roll call analysis of voting in the Polish Sejm brings evidence for the dimensionality of the political space, legislators? ideal points, and the formation of pro-reform and anti-reform coalitions. Results are compared with party positions given by expert evaluations. The study compares Poland?s chances of reform success with those of Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia. Unlike the existing literature, which emphasizes the role of crises and international pressures in the outcome of pension reform, this paper argues that the demand-side factors are of limited relevance. It also finds that the concentration of power is a poor predictor of the outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years we have witnessed significant electoral successes of radical nationalist parties across Europe. This paper seeks to shed light on an important aspect of the emergence of these parties: the rise of radical nationalist constituencies. I focus on two of the most visible examples of success of such parties, the French National Front and the Greater Romania Party. This provides a type of most-different cases design: I identify explanatory variables (most importantly, economic transition) that account for the success of radical nationalism in both countries, notwithstanding many important differences between the two polities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the self-dynamics toward unidimensional political party competition. Although the ideological space in most European countries is often characterized with its multidimensionality, empirical estimation shows that party positions in some of those countries can be more or less placed on a unidimensional scale. An alternative spatial model is suggested which allows parties to influence the salience and (non)-separability of both dimensions at voters' decision processes.

The article investigates the way by which electoral systems influence political support and engagement among ethnic minorities across 33 countries based on data from the European Social Survey. It discusses the role of parties and institutions in promoting political participation among ethnic minorities. It relates the attitudes of ethnic minority groups about the political system.

The article examines the conditions under which electoral representation is functioning particularly well or badly focusing on voter preferences about European integration. It explores the impact of strong issue effects on vote choices on the representational bond between parties and their voters. It provides an overview of the voter-party congruence on the issue of European integration. It has found the importance of the degree of politicisation of the European issue to effective representation.

The article examines whether the radical right and their parties have fostered an enduring social base among core voters in the U.S., Europe and in other parts of the world. The researcher discusses the alternative theoretical frameworks and considers the rival hypotheses about the social basis of radical right support, as well as compares evidence to analyze the social basis of the radical right vote across 15 nations, using data from the European Social Survey, 2002, and the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems, 1996-2001.