The book is the third edition in a series of didactic materials prepared within the framework of the Jean Monnet Module “Political Institutions and Systems in Europe: Comparison and Experience for Ukraine”. It logically continues the previous editions devoted to the academic courses “Comparative Politics: Political Institutions and Systems of Western European Countries” and “Comparative Analysis of Political Institutions and Systems of Central and Eastern European Countries.” The publication has an integrated character and combines materials for two academic courses simultaneously.
The handbook contains original works by the project participants – Prof. Vitalii Lytvyn and Prof. Anatolii Romaniuk – which comprehensively examine the political systems and institutions of the member states of the European Union from a comparative perspective. Special attention is devoted to the analysis of institutional models, interinstitutional relations, and mechanisms of governance, as well as to understanding the European experience of democratic development and the possibilities of adapting this experience within the transformation of Ukraine’s political system.
Structurally, the book covers a wide range of issues in contemporary comparative politics. Considerable attention is devoted to:
• the analysis of political systems and interinstitutional relations in EU countries;
• the institutions of the head of state, parliament, and government;
• the features of party and electoral systems;
• sociopolitical cleavages and political competition;
• democratic transformations and processes of European integration.
An important feature of the book is its didactic and reader-oriented character. The materials are presented in the form of original academic studies systematized for educational purposes. This approach enables students to develop a systematic understanding of the functioning of political institutions and systems in the countries of the European Union and to deepen their knowledge of contemporary models of democratic governance.
A special place in the publication is devoted to studies of:
• semi-presidentialism;
• interinstitutional interaction;
• parliamentary and governmental models;
• coalition processes;
• populist and radical parties;
• electoral systems of the European Union countries.
The book includes both Ukrainian- and English-language studies, which expands the possibilities for its use in educational and academic work.
Particular attention is devoted to the experience of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the processes of their integration into the European Union and NATO, as well as the possibilities of applying this experience in Ukraine under conditions of contemporary political transformation and European integration progress. The publication also contains a list of recommended databases, research projects, and specialized resources for further study of the political institutions and systems of EU countries.
The didactic materials are intended for undergraduate and postgraduate students, doctoral candidates, and university lecturers, as well as civil servants, public policy experts, and everyone interested in the issues of political institutions and systems in the countries of the European Union.
The didactic materials can be obtained at the Department of Political Science.
Prepared with the financial support of the European Union within the framework of the Erasmus+ Programme under the action “Jean Monnet for Higher Education” (Module “Political Institutions and Systems in Europe: Comparison and Experience for Ukraine”, No. 101126702 – PISE-CEfU – ERASMUS-JMO-2023-HEI-TCH-RSCH).
