FEATURES OF MANIFESTATION OF POLITICAL LEGITIMACY IN CENTRAL EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
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Published:
Apr 1, 2025
Abstract
Abstract. Understudied aspects of political legitimacy in the contexts of these CEE countries, especially the subjects of this paper, namely Hungary, Poland, East Germany (GDR), and the Czech Republic are investigated in this study. Many of them realized political democratization mainly due to pressure from international organizations such as the European Union and the Council of Europe. In Hungary, legitimacy under Viktor Orban Fidesz government entail electoral support and conservatism and anti-immigration policies albeit undermining the democratic institutional structure. The Polish state gains its mandate from free elections or Catholic culture and civil society but it contested by the recent amendments in the judiciary made by the ruling party, Law and Justice. The GDR was pursuing a Marxist-Leninist image and policed the people and their actions, hence when the economy deteriorated, people protests and desire for freedom made the GDR to collapse following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. However, this has increased its democratic legitimacy after the 1989 regime with stable institutions, active civil societies, press and media freedom and EU member despite vices like corruption. This comparative investigation underlines the fact that historical, social and institutional backgrounds influence the recognition of governments in the countries of Central East Europe and concerns international interventions, the process of democratization, and internal social acceptances. Information sources include primary sources like historical documents, constitutions and international agreements; secondary sources such as academic books and articles as well as legal studies; statistical data comprising public opinion polls together with international reports.
How to Cite
Alakbarov Tahır, T. (2025). FEATURES OF MANIFESTATION OF POLITICAL LEGITIMACY IN CENTRAL EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. Baltic Journal of Legal and Social Sciences, (1), 108-119. https://doi.org/10.30525/2592-8813-2025-1-12
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Keywords
legitimacy, Europe, government, political, human rights, state, Fidesz, Party, Post-Velvet Revolution.
References
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29. Zoltán Fleck. (2018). “Changes of the Judicial Structure in Hungary – Understanding the New Authoritarianism”. OER Osteuropa Recht jurnal. Germany. pp 583-599. http://dx.doi.org/10.5771/0030-6444-2018-4-583
2. Adriana Sas. (2023). “Electoral turnout in parliamentary elections in Poland from 1989 to 2023” statista.com press. Oct 17, 2023. Retrieved from: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1059104/poland-electoral-turnout-in-parliamentary-elections/
3. András Bozóki. (2016). “MAINSTREAMING THE FAR RIGHT” Vol. 47, No. 4, Révolutions conservatrices en Europe centrale et orientale.: Presses Universitaires de France. pp. 87-116. http://dx.doi.org/10.4074/S0338059916004046
4. Anselma Gallinat. (2015). “Power and vulnerability: Secrecy, social relationships and the East German Stasi”. Perspectives on Europe. Erasmus University Rotterdam. Netherlands, pp. 5-8. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305989216_Power_and_Vulnerability_
Secrecy_Social_Relationships_and_the_East_German_Stasi
5. CIDOB Monographs. (2024) “Hungary: derailed election campaign brings back national politics and overshadows anti-Brussels messages”. Retrieved from: https://www.cidob.org/en/publications/hungary-derailed-election-campaign-brings-back-national-politics-and-overshadows-anti
6. Czech Statistical Office. (2024). “GDP Resources and Uses – 1. quarter of 2024”. 31 may 2024. Retrieved from: https://csu.gov.cz/rychle-informace/gdp-resources-and-uses-1-quarter-of-2024
7. David Landry. (2014). "Hungarian Elections: Fidesz Retains Two-Thirds Majority." Business Journal. Budapest. Retrieved from: https://bbj.hu/politics/polls/party-popularity/fidesz-kdnp-in-landslide-victory-retain-2-3-parliamentary-majority/
8. Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs. (2002) “Germany’s growth performance in the 1990’s”. European Commission Directorate-General For Economic And Financial Affairs Economic Papers. May 2002. Retrieved from: https://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/pages/publication1878_en.pdf
9. Dorottya Szikra. (2018) “Welfare for the Wealthy The Social Policy of the Orbán-regime”, 2010-2017” “Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung”. Budapest pp. 8-13. Retrieved from: https://library.fes.de/pdf-files/bueros/budapest/14209.pdf
10. Dr. Júlia Mink. (2017) “Standing and operational space of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in contributing to respecting and promoting fundamental rights in EU Member States”. European union agency for fundamental rights (FRA). pp 22-25. Retrieved from: https://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra_uploads/hungary-civil-space_en.pdf
11. Elżbieta M. Goździak. (2019). “Using Fear of the “Other,” Orbán Reshapes Migration Policy in a Hungary Built on Cultural Diversity”. Migration Policy Institute. MPİ, Washington, DC. Retrieved from: https://migrationpolicy.org/article/orban-reshapes-migration-policy-hungary
12. Elżbieta Osewska & Józef Stala & Krzysztof Bochenek. (2021) “The Relationship between Religion and National Culture in Poland in Light of John Paul II’s Philosophical and Theological Reflections”. Religions Jurnal 13(1):33. Switzerland. (pp. 7-10). https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13010033
13. Fondation Robert Schuman & Helen Levy (2010). “The FIDESZ wins the 2/3 majority in the Hungarian Parliament”. The Research and Studies Centre on Europe. Fondation Robert Schuman. 26 april 2010. Retrieved from: https://www.robert-schuman.eu/en/monitor/1011 h t t p s : / / w w w.robert-schuman.eu/en/monitor/1011
14. Gabor Halmai. (2018) “Fidesz and Faith: Ethno-Nationalism in Hungary”. Verfassungsblog On Matters Constitutional. 29 June 2018. Retrieved from: https://verfassungsblog.de/fidesz-and-faith-ethno-nationalism-in-hungary/
15. Gábor Polyák. (2015)/ “The Hungarian Media System. Stopping Short or Re-Transformation”. Südosteuropa. Journal of Politics and Society. Germany. pp. 272–318. Retrieved from: https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/soeu-2015-630207/html
16. Gisa Weszkalnys. (2010) “Berlin, Alexanderplatz: Transforming place in a unified Germany”. Published by Berghahn Books 2010. New York City, USA. pp. 7-12, 81-84. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781845458355
17. Hartwig V. (1999) “Die Legitimation des Staates durch Verfassungsrezeption in Mittel und Osteuropa”. Ztschr. für Ausländisches, Öffentliches und Völkerrecht. N 59/4. Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law.). Stuttgart, pp. 919-939. Retrieved from: https://
www.zaoerv.de/59_1999/59_1999_4_a_919_940.pdf
18. Ireneusz Pawel Karolewski & Maciej Wilga. (2018) “Poland and the European Union”. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics. Oxford. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228637.013.258
19. Jakub Havlíček & Dušan Lužný. (2013) “Religion and Politics in the Czech Republic: The Roman Catholic Church and the State”. International Journal of Social Science Studies. International Journal of Social Science Studies. Vol.1, No. 2; Published by Redfame Publishing. pp. 191-201. https://doi.org/10.11114/ijsss.v1i2.145
20. Jan Wintr & Marek Antoš & Jan Kysela. (2016). “Direct election of the president and its constitutional and political consequences”. ACTA political jurnal Vol. 8 | No. 2. Leiden University. Germany. pp 145-154. Retrieved from: https://acpo.vedeckecasopisy.cz/publicFiles/001181.pdf
21. Ladislaw Rabušic & Tomáš Sirovátka. (1999) “Czech Welfare State and Its Legitimacy”. Published By: Polskie Towarzystwo Socjologiczne (Polish Sociological Association) Poland No. 126. pp. 239-263. http://dx.doi.org/10.13060/00380288.1999.35.4.02
22. Mark Pittaway. (2004). “The Politics of Legitimacy and Hungary's Postwar Transition”. Cambridge University Press. Vol. 13, No. 4, Nov., 2004, Theme Issue: Political Legitimacy in Mid-Twentieth Century Europe. Cambridge University Press. pp. 453-475. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0960777304001894
23. Piotr Uhma. (2023). “The democratic legitimacy of the European Union and its laws: theoretical challenges and practical examples”. Rocznik Administracji Publicznej. Poland. pp. 309–311. https://doi.org/10.4467/24497800RAP.23.018.18314
24. Reporters Without Borders. (2023). “World Press Freedom Index: Czech Republic”. Reporthers Without Borders (RSF). Retrieved from: https://rsf.org/en/country-czechia
25. Scilla Alecci. (2021) “Czech Prime Minister secretly bought lavish French Riviera estate using offshore companies”. ICIJ papers. 3 October 2021. Retrieved from: https://www.icij.org/investigations/pandora-papers/czech-prime-minister-andrej-babis-french-property/
26. Thomas A. Baylis. (1986). “Explaining the GDR's Economic Strategy”. International Organization Foundation. Vol. 40, No. 2, Power, Purpose, and Collective Choice: Economic Strategy in Socialist States (Spring, 1986), Cambridge University Press. pp. 381-420. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0020818300027181
27. Transparency International. (2021) “Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš caught in Pandora Papers scandal”. 15 october 2021. Retrieved from: https://www.transparency.org/en/blog/pandora-papers-chile-pinera-dominga-heads-of-state-roll
28. Transparency International. (2023) “Corruption Perceptions Index”. September 2023. Retrieved from: https://www.transparency.org/en/countries/czech-republic
29. Zoltán Fleck. (2018). “Changes of the Judicial Structure in Hungary – Understanding the New Authoritarianism”. OER Osteuropa Recht jurnal. Germany. pp 583-599. http://dx.doi.org/10.5771/0030-6444-2018-4-583