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Shaping and Reshaping Social Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe

Shaping and Reshaping Social Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe. The redemption of the past and the reinvention of the future: the history of an extremely resistant specie. Sorina Soare Collaborateur scientifique CEVIPOL Université libre de Bruxelles ssoare@ulb.ac.be.

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Shaping and Reshaping Social Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe

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  1. Shaping and Reshaping Social Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe The redemption of the past and the reinvention of the future: the history of an extremely resistant specie Sorina Soare Collaborateur scientifique CEVIPOL Université libre de Bruxelles ssoare@ulb.ac.be

  2. The State: a major communist political asset Complete overlapping between State and Party Communist state Communist party Satellite parties Ancillary Organisations Trade Unions Civil society

  3. Communist parties between pragmatism and ideology

  4. In brief: « The past stigmatizes the present of the parties» (Janos A.) Vs.

  5. Strategies for political respectability Crisis of the western ideal-type Weakness of the anticomm. Advantages Disadvantages EX-CP Organisation Political ostracism Economic networks Programmatic reinvention Human capital International boycott Challenges Democratic loyalty Potential ofcoalition International respectability Social-democratic/Socialist Parties Parties with Protected Designation of Origin

  6. 3 distinct origines Historical ressurection Success story: CSSD, SDSS Limited success: PSDR, MSZDP Reconversion Internal reform: SLD-SdR, MSZP, BSP, SDL Partial break/continuity : KSCM, KSS, PSM Blurred origins : FSN-PSD The new commers Ex-CP : PD, Smer Anticommun.: UP

  7. Success story • Regular parties in government • Support for EU and NATO • Europhile parties • Developed organisations • Members • Professional staff • Territorial networks

  8. Challenges • From high politics to low politics • Consolidation of the right parties • Populist pervasiveness

  9. Weaknesses • Left culture – unidentified political object • Allergy to left values, symbols • Left = communist • Collusion with the State • Power corrupts • Clientelistic networks and patronage • State as parties’ utility • Bogus organisation • Financial dependency on the State • Members fees cover for illicit private donations

  10. Social-democratic parties under construction …

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