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Monika Hodinková & Pavel Semerád & Jan Boubín: Srovnání podpory občanů a domácností ve vybraných zemích střední Evropy během povodní v roce 2024 [Comparing Support for Citizens and Households in Selected Central European Countries during the 2024 Floods]

Abstract: This article compares forms of government support provided to citizens and households affected by the September 2024 floods in three selected Central European countries: the Czech Republic, Poland and Austria. The analysis focuses on direct financial assistance, housing-related support, tax relief and institutional measures adopted during the immediate response and early recovery periods. It is based on a comparative review of legislation, ministerial decisions and policy documents published between 12 September 2024 and 31 December 2024 on the official websites of the relevant public authorities. The findings show a common effort in all examined countries to restore basic living conditions as quickly as possible and to mitigate property losses. At the same time, important differences can be observed in the design and broader orientation of the support schemes. Poland placed stronger emphasis on targeted family assistance, whereas Austria relied more extensively on a comprehensive institutional framework combining emergency aid with a long-term preventive mechanism. Based on the comparison, the paper formulates recommendations for improving the targeting, speed and coordination of support for citizens and households in the Czech Republic.

Keywords: State support, floods, tax reliefs, citizens, households, Central European countries

How to cite: Hodinková, M., Semerád, P. a Boubín, J. 2026 “Srovnání podpory občanů a domácností ve vybraných zemích střední Evropy během povodní v roce 2024.” Central European Journal of Politics 12 (1): 1–16. DOI:10.21062/cejp.2026.03

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21062/cejp.2026.03

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Pavel Hulec: Vývoj regulace sociálních služeb v České republice: případ inspekce kvality [The Evolution of Social Services Regulation in the Czech Republic: The Case of Quality Inspection]

Abstract: The article examines the historical development of the Czech social service quality inspection system through Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of fields and capital. It conceptualizes quality inspection as an institutional arena situated at the intersection of the bureaucratic field and the field of social services, arguing that changes in the relative value of cultural and bureaucratic capital have fundamentally shaped the character of inspections over time. The analysis is based on 18 semi-structured interviews with former and current officials of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs conducted between 2019 and 2024, complemented by an analysis of 56 policy documents, methodological guidelines, and project reports. The findings identify a gradual transformation from an inspection model grounded primarily in inspectors’ professional expertise, discretion, and client-centred assessment toward a model emphasizing administrative procedures, legal certainty, and documentary evidence. This shift strengthened bureaucratic capital while reducing the importance of cultural capital derived from professional experience in social work. The article contributes to the literature on regulation by demonstrating how changing forms of capital influence state oversight, the exercise of symbolic power, and the evolving definition of quality in social services.

Keywords: Social policy, social services, regulation, quality assurance, Czech Republic

How to cite: Hulec, P. 2026. “Vývoj regulace sociálních služeb v České republice: případ inspekce kvality.” Central European Journal of Politics 12 (1): 17–31. DOI:10.21062/cejp.2026.04

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21062/cejp.2026.04