Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department or Program
Political Science
Advisor
Bloom, Stephen R.
Abstract
This comparative research contributes to the further understanding of party system stability in ethnically divided societies. It looks at the extent of party system institutionalization in Lithuania and Latvia by paying attention to the variance of party system stability over time. Differences in party system stability over time are a consequence of the extent of the ideological balance within the party system and the success of coalition governments. The salience of ethnicization of the party system and the design of the electoral system matter. This is because both heavily influence the effectiveness of both the existence of ideological balancers and coalition retention over time.
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