The contemporary political elite of Central and South-Eastern European countries: Personalities and general trends (reflecting on a recent book)

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to study the state of the modern political elite in the countries of Central and South-Eastern Europe, to identify the main trends in its development and the role of personal factors based on the analysis carried out by the authors of the collective monograph of the Institute of Slavic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Generally, the transition in Central European countries from socialism to capitalism successfully took place, and the line of integration into the Western world prevailed. However, among the countries’ ruling circles, there are both supporters of total acceptance of the rules established in Brussels and those who seek to preserve greater independence for their countries within European and Euro-Atlantic structures. These contradictions are serious but surmountable due to the already established political institutions in these countries and some experience of political compromises. In South-Eastern Europe, the transition to capitalism was more complex, accompanied by acute national conflicts. It is currently complicated by a de facto suspension of these countries’ accession to the EU. The result is a more diverse composition of the elite in this region compared to Central Europe — former communists, military men, and nationalists are significantly more numerous here. The situation is aggravated by the weakness of political institutions and the elites’ inability, and sometimes unwillingness, to seek solutions to problems through compromises. Particularly noteworthy are the biographies of R. Erdogan and A. Tsipras, who tried (the first successfully, the second not) to implement radical changes in the political life of their countries. Politicians from all considered countries focusing on national characteristics and traditional values generally have significant potential. It would be advisable for Russia to analyze the successes and failures in relations with the Central and South-Eastern European countries in recent decades and learn from this experience for future policy.