Changes in the political elite, economy and society of Belarus: Appearances and reality. OSW Study 30/2008

In late 2006 and early 2007, relations between Russia and Belarus were hit by the most serious crisis in many years. In a setting of heightened tension, the Belarusian authorities decided to gradually modify their economic policy and thoroughly restructure the ruling class. The new situation created new, much more difficult challenges for the Belarusian opposition. The processes initiated by the authorities were not intended to bring about either the democratisation of public and political life or full economic liberalisation; their only purpose was to enable the regime to tackle new challenges and survive in the changing international context. Nevertheless, modernisation has been initiated in Belarus' authoritarian system of power, which until now was considered to be completely incapable of reform. This puts the country's main political and economic partners, including the European Union, in a new situation.

Politicising the Union? The Influence of ‘Leading Candidates’ for the Commission Presidency. Bruges Political Research Paper No. 36, October 2014

‘Leading candidates’ competed for the European Commission Presidency in the campaign for the European elections in May 2014. This element of political contestation poses a challenge to the Union’s institutional design. This article investigates to what extent competing ‘leading candidates’ enhances the process of deliberation and party contestation and thus strengthen the role of European Parliament (EP) party groups. In light of the example of the ‘Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats’ and its ‘leading candidate’, Martin Schulz, it is shown that the election campaign did strive to be EU-wide. However, Schulz’s influence on internal party cohesion and coalition formation remained limited. Therefore the influence of an elected ‘leading candidate’ is regarded as a symbolic act, which could deepen the relationship between the EP and the Commission as well as strengthen the democratic and political standing of both institutions vis-à-vis the European Council.

Electoral Volatility, Political Sophistication, Trust and Efficacy

In this article we investigate voter volatility and analyze the causes and motives of switching vote intentions. We test two main sets of variables linked to volatility in literature; political sophistication and ‘political (dis)satisfaction’. Results show that voters with low levels of political efficacy tend to switch more often, both within a campaign and between elections. In the analysis we differentiate between campaign volatility and inter-election volatility and by doing so show that the dynamics of a campaign have a profound impact on volatility. The campaign period is when the lowly sophisticated switch their vote intention. Those with higher levels of interest in politics have switched their intention before the campaign has started. The data for this analysis are from the three wave PartiRep Belgian Election Study (2009).

Man and society, political and social theory.

Bibliographical footnotes.

Catalog of publications, forms, and posters.

Mode of access: Internet.

Papers and proceedings of the annual meeting of the Canadian Political Science Association.

No meetings held 1914-1929.

Realities and ideals; social, political, literary and artistic.

Partly republished from various sources.

Analysis of retread automotive and truck tires /

Cover title.

Database and datafile resource guide.

Description based on: May 1990.

Energy conversion factors [and life cycle costing and cost analysis papers] /

Mode of access: Internet.

Preliminary study of recycled materials, markets, and products /

"Illinois Energy Conservation Program."

The works of Benjamin Franklin; containing several political and historical tracts not included in any former edition, and many letters, official and private, not hitherto published; with notes and a life of the author.

"List of the author's writings, chronologically arranged": v. 10, p. [449]-463.

The works of Benjamin Franklin; containing several political and historical tracts not included in any former edition, and many letters, official and private, not hitherto published; with notes and a life of the author.

"List of the author's writings, chronologically arranged": v. 10, p. [449]-463.

The works of Benjamin Franklin; containing several political and historical tracts not included in any former edition, and many letters, official and private, not hitherto published; with notes and a life of the author.

"List of the author's writings, chronologically arranged": v. 10, p. [449]-463.

The 3d Marine Division and its regiments /

Item 383-B.