Democratic Institutions and Authoritarian Rule in Southeast Europe

Josip Broz Tito's saying that 'one should not hold on to the law like a drunken man holds on to a fence' remains a valid piece of popular wisdom today, encapsulating the problem of weak rule of law in Southeast European societies. This book poses the question of why democratization in Southeast Europe disappointed initial expectations and claims that this is due to the dominance of authoritarian parties over regime change. Their rule established nondemocratic governance practices that continue to subvert rule of law principles twenty years later. The unique contribution of this book is in providing empirical evidence for the argument that post-socialist transformation proceeded in a double movement, whereby advances to formal democratic institutions were subverted through nondemocratic rule. This misfit helps explain why improvements to formal democratic institutions did not result in expected democratization advances. 'Essential reading for anyone interested in the politics of Southeast Europe and democratization.' Professor Frank Schimmelfennig, Center for Comparative and International Studies (ETH Zurich) "Danijela Dolenec's bookof Democratic Institutions and Authoritarian Rule is a major contribution to the study of Southeastern Europe and post-communist democratization due to its sophisticated methodology, rich empirical research and comparative scope.' Professor Florian Bieber, Centre for Southeast European Studies, University of Graz, Austria 'This book is admirable in scope, ambition and in methodological self-awareness. It represents comparative research in political science at its best. Democratic Institutions and Authoritarian Rule significantly advances our understanding of the post-1989 transformations in Europe and is certainly a 'must read' for all students of comparative politics.' Professor Grzegorz Ekiert Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies, Harvard University 'Danijela Dolenec has written an outstanding, ground breaking book exploring how states struggle to democratize after authoritarian parties have presided over regime change, colonized the state and exploited the economy.' Milada Anna Vachudova, Associate Professor University of North Carolina