Referendum as a Party Tool

The Case of Slovakia

Bibliographic Data

ID12149075
AuthorsMiroslav Nemčok (0000-0003-3556-5557, Masaryk University, corresponding author), Peter Spáč (0000-0003-4395-689X, Masaryk University)
Year2019
Volume33
Issue3
Pages755-777
Publication date2019-03-19
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEast European Politics and Societies and Cultures (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0888-3254 • E-ISSN: 1533-8371
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0888325418800551
OpenAlexW2924156203
LanguageEN
Citations received6

This article is part of the special cluster titled Political Parties and Direct Democracy in Eastern Europe, guest-edited by Sergiu Gherghina. Referendums are widely regarded as a way of enhancing democracy as they provide a further arena for citizens to affect public policy outcomes. In this regard, Slovakia represents a deviant case that contradicts such an expectation. Since its emergence in 1993, the country implemented mechanisms of direct democracy into its political system. This article analyses referendums in Slovakia and it shows how political parties use the employment of this tool solely for their own purposes. Our study provides evidence that Slovak political parties use referendums either as a way to mobilize their own supporters for upcoming national elections or to harm their opponents. Hence, a referendum in Slovakia serves as a tool for expanding the power of political parties rather than as a way of increasing the public engagement of citizens in the democratic system

Democracy · Direct democracy · Harm · Political economy · Political science · Political system · Politics · Referendum · Slovak · Sociology · Eastern European Communism and Reforms · European and International Law Studies · Law · Polish Law and Legal System · Public Administration

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