Political modernization in Slovenia in the 1980s and the early 1990s

Party Fragmentation, the Proportional System and Democracy in Slovenia

“…The contractual pattern of transition led to an agreement on the rules for the first free elections and the constitutional choice of a parliamentary system with a very weak president (the new Constitution, adopted in December 1991; Fink-Hafner, 1992, 2010). Parliamentary constitutional choice was a logical, ideological continuation of a draft constitution already published in April 1988 (Gradivo za slovensko ustavo, 1988).…”

Organized interests in the policy-making process in Slovenia

“…Slovenia is in that group of ECE countries where democratic transition from socialism has been under way for more than a decade and has been relatively smooth, long-term, gradual and non-violent. 3 Its democratic transition proceeded from both 'the bottom' as well as 'the top' (Fink-Hafner 1992a;Mastnak 1994;Ramet 1995). Huntington's thesis (1993: 9) on liberalization in the pre-collapse socialist system has proved to be a valid explanation of Slovenia's political experience in the 1980s.…”

“…Slovenia is usually described as having had a relatively strong civil society in the 1980s (Ramet 1995;Bibic 1994;Mastnak 1994;Fink-Hafner 1992a, 1992bGantar 1994). Since its most visible forms and leaders were to a great extent absorbed into the new democratic institutions (political parties and other institutions of the political system), it seems that civil society outside politics and the state disappeared in the few years between 1989 and 1991.…”