Central European Journal of Politics
Peer-Reviewed Journal
The Central European Journal of Politics is the official journal of the Central European Political Science Association (CEPSA) and is indexed in the DOAJ, ERIH Plus and Index Copernicus
Central European Journal of Politics, Vol. 11, No. 1 (2025)
Content
EDITORIAL
Pavel Maškarinec & Daniel Šárovec: Regional elections in comparative perspective
Abstract: This editorial summarises the special issue “Regional Elections in Comparative Perspective” and reflects on recent developments in selected European countries. The issue focuses primarily on the Central European context, examining regional elections in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland. In addition, the inclusion of a study on the Valencian autonomous elections in Spain opens up new avenues for comparison and further exploration. All contributions are presented as case studies mapping developments within specific national contexts. The special issue therefore adopts a deliberately comparative approach, aiming to offer diverse analytical perspectives on regional elections and their specific impacts on different levels of government. Although regional elections are often classified as second-order elections (SOE) within classical theoretical frameworks, regions remain an irreplaceable part of individual political systems.
Keywords: Elections, regions, regional elections, political parties
How to cite: Maškarinec, P. and Šárovec, D. 2025. “Regional elections in comparative perspective.” Central European Journal of Politics 11 (1): 1–7. DOI: 10.21062/cejp.2025.10
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21062/cejp.2025.10
ARTICLES
Marcelo Guillén & Guillem Ninyoles: The Valencian autonomous elections of 2023: a new stage of the regional party system and two government crises
Abstract: This study examines the 2023 autonomous elections in Valencia and their partisan and governmental implications. The elections occurred within a context defined by a weakened position of left-wing parties in the national government, strong campaign nationalization driven by the right, and pre-election polls predicting a tightly contested scenario. The results highlighted a reduction in party fragmentation, increased support for traditional parties, and greater polarization that advantaged the right-wing bloc. This was in line with broader trends observed in regions holding simultaneous elections. The electoral outcome marked the beginning of a new stage in the Valencian party system – as a coalition government was formed between the Popular Party of the Valencian Community (traditional right) and the Vox (radical right), the right returned to power after eight years in opposition. However, within a year, the government encountered two significant crises: the departure of Vox triggering swift government reorganization and the management of a natural disaster caused by a cut-off low in October 2024. These crises may have had important implications for both the government and the regional party system.
Keywords: Spain, Valencia, elections, political parties, party systems, government coalitions, government crisis
How to cite: Guillén, M. and Ninyoles, G. 2025. “The Valencian autonomous elections of 2023: a new stage of the regional party system and two government crises.” Central European Journal of Politics 11 (1): 8–25. DOI:10.21062/cejp.2025.03
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21062/cejp.2025.03
Dominik Sieklucki: Elections of presidents of Polish voivodeship cities 2002–2024: The perspective of multiple terms of office
Abstract: The article presents the results of research on mayoral elections in 18 Polish voivodeship cities held in the years 2002–2024, with a focus on serving multiple terms of office. In 2002, the system for electing municipal executive bodies in Poland was changed to direct universal suffrage. Whereas no limit was originally placed on the number of terms these offices could be held, a limit of two terms was introduced in 2018. This reform was justified by the long-standing rule of some governors, mayors, and city presidents. Covering 18 cities and a total of 6 election terms, the study shows that the problem of serving multiple terms in Polish local government actually exists. The problem is analyzed from a quantitative and a qualitative perspective to show its complexity and the difficulty of making an unambiguous assessment.
Keywords: Poland, local self-government, elections, term of office, president of the city, gmina, municipality
How to cite: Sieklucki, D. 2025. “Elections of presidents of Polish voivodeship cities 2002–2024: The perspective of multiple terms of office.” Central European Journal of Politics 11 (1): 26–55. DOI:10.21062/cejp.2025.07
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21062/cejp.2025.07
Simona Kováčová & Lukáš Bernátek: Strategic behaviour of political actors and changes to voting rules: A case study of regional elections in Slovakia
Abstract: The paper highlights the issue of strategic behaviour among political actors in selected elections to bodies of Slovak administrative regions held under a majoritarian electoral system. While we abstract from deeper contexts of game theory and rational decision-making, our main contribution lies in the substantive dimension. After revealing the weaknesses of the regional electoral system in the conditions of Slovakia, we emphasise potential solutions, whose effects are evaluated in the text. In the concluding section, we discuss alternative vote to open the debate on modifying the regional-level electoral system with a view to strengthening the power of individual voters.
Keywords: Slovakia, electoral system, voter behaviour, regional elections, strategic behaviour, alternative vote
How to cite: Kováčová, S. and Bernátek, L. 2025. “Strategic behaviour of political actors and changes to voting rules: A case study of regional elections in Slovakia.” Central European Journal of Politics 11 (1): 56–79. DOI:10.21062/cejp.2025.06
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21062/cejp.2025.06
Jana Šutajová & Alexander Onufrák: Elections of the Chairman of the Košice self-governing region in 2022: Results and context
Abstract: The study presents an analysis of the candidates for the chairmanship of the Košice Self-Governing Region in the context of the results of the 2022 regional elections. The main objective of the study is to characterise the candidates for the chairmanship of the Košice Self-Governing Region in the 2022 regional elections in terms of gender, age, education and occupation. On the basis of the data obtained, it can be concluded that the representation of women on the candidate lists in the elections for the chairmanship of the Self-Governing Region is relatively low, which also leads to a low representation of women in (regional) politics in Slovakia. Candidates of the working age of 31–50 years were most interested in running for office, and the most frequently mentioned academic degrees were Engineer and Master. The greatest chances of success were for candidates working in local government, while voters belonging to the Hungarian national minority also had a significant share in the victory of the incumbent chairman of the region.
Keywords: Slovakia, electoral system, voter behaviour, regional elections, strategic behaviour, alternative vote
How to cite: Šutajová, J. and Onufrák, A. 2025. “Elections of the Chairman of the Košice self-governing region in 2022: Results and context.” Central European Journal of Politics 11 (1): 80–98. DOI:10.21062/cejp.2025.09
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21062/cejp.2025.09
Abstract: This contribution presents an analysis of regional elections in the Czech Republic in 2024, specifically examining the connections between national and regional politics. We take the second-order election concept authored by Karlheinz Reif and Hermann Schmitt and later modified by Karlheinz Reif as a starting point. An emphasis is placed on the positions of government parties (verifying the character of second-order elections), the positions of regional groupings, and the roles of personalities. The election results achieved by the contesting political entities confirm an impact of national politics on these elections, especially in the form of electoral successes of opposition parties. At the same time, however, the election results point to specific political conditions in some regions, where government parties achieved electoral successes but their support primarily came from regional conditions. The relevant factors here were a distinctive and specific election campaign, greater emphasis on regional topics, and strong regional anchoring. Here, too, strong personalities leading party lists played a role, in some cases possibly representing alternatives to national-level leaders of the aforementioned parties.
Keywords: Czech Republic, regional elections, second-order elections, political parties
How to cite: Hynčica, P. 2025. “Krajská a celostátní politika v krajských volbách 2024 v České republice.” Central European Journal of Politics 11 (1): 99–112. DOI:10.21062/cejp.2025.05
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21062/cejp.2025.05
Abstract: The article aims to typologically classify governing coalitions in the local governments of municipalities with extended powers (ORP) in the Czech Republic’s region of South Bohemia after the municipal elections of 2022. Based on a typology used in the Czech environment mainly by Stanislav Balík and Petr Jüptner in connection with William Riker and Karee Strøm, we evaluate whether the rationally unlikely type of a minimum winning ideologically connected coalition occurs in the largest number of cases. After evaluating all 17 cases of local governments in South Bohemian ORPs, we conclude that the most expected type of a rational combination of ideologically close entities existed in most South Bohemian ORPs, including the region’s two largest cities, České Budějovice and Tábor. On the other hand, the least likely option of an excessive alliance of ideologically unconnected parties only existed in four cases. In defining the typological criteria, we also take into account our imperfect ability to identify individual local groups of independent candidates, which are collectively classified in this type: Their broad coalition potential is assumed even if their actual ideological positions vary from city to city. The typological classification also shows that the positions and coalition potentials of individual parties at the national level have only a limited influence at the municipal level in the 17 largest South Bohemian cities.
Keywords: Czech Republic, local elections, coalitions, South Bohemia, municipalities with extended powers
How to cite: Hanáček, V. 2025. “Typologie radničních koalic v jihočeských obcích s rozšířenou působností (ORP) po volbách 2022.” Central European Journal of Politics 11 (1): 113–124. DOI:10.21062/cejp.2025.08
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21062/cejp.2025.08