A Study of Political Party Assistance in Eastern Europe and Eurasia
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A STUDY OF POLITICAL PARTY ASSISTANCE IN EASTERN EUROPE AND EURASIA JUNE 2007 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development by Democracy International, Inc. Prepared under Task Order #DFD-I-06-04-00229-00 under the Democracy and Governance Analytical Services Indefinite Quantity Contract, #DFD-I-00-04-00229-00 Submitted to: USAID/Europe & Eurasia Contractor: Democracy International, Inc. 4802 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200 Bethesda, MD 20814 Tel: 301-961-1660 Email: [email protected] A STUDY OF POLITICAL PARTY ASSISTANCE IN EASTERN EUROPE AND EURASIA JUNE 2007 DISCLAIMER The authors’ views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................. i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................. ii I. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................ 1 METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................................... 1 Phase 1: Literature Review and Desk Study.............................................................. 1 Phase 2: Selection of Case Studies ............................................................................. 2 Phase 3. Field research................................................................................................ 4 Preparation of Report...................................................................................................... 4 II. LITERATURE REVEW............................................................................................ 5 COMPARATIVE POLITICS LITERATURE REVIEW............................................... 5 APPLIED LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................................ 13 III. FINDINGS AND BEST PRACTICES .................................................................. 23 A. STRUCTURE/ENVIRONMENT............................................................................ 23 Romania—A Best Case for Political Party Assistance............................................. 23 Serbia—Between Two Neighbors ............................................................................ 24 Georgia—Growing Euro-Atlantic Ties and a Troubled Soviet Legacy ................... 25 Kyrgyzstan—Opportunity for Political Party Assistance in Central Asia................ 25 Structural Variations and Assistance Strategies ....................................................... 26 B. STRATEGIES.......................................................................................................... 33 Understanding Incentives of Parties and Politicians................................................. 33 Partisanship and Selection of Partners...................................................................... 35 Competing Party Assistance Goals: Contesting Elections vs. Improving Capacity. 37 Public Opinion Research........................................................................................... 39 Center versus Regions............................................................................................... 41 Integrating Women and Youth Politics in Political Party Assistance Strategies...... 43 The Relationship between Civil Society and Political Party Assistance .................. 44 Party System Aid ...................................................................................................... 46 C. AGENCY/IMPLEMENTATION ........................................................................... 47 Program Management and Competing Institutional Interests .................................. 47 Program Scope and Competition .............................................................................. 48 Establishing Democratic Norms ............................................................................... 49 IV. RECOMMENDATIONS: BEST PRACTICES AND POLICIES FOR RECONSIDERATION................................................................................................... 51 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY..................................................................................... 55 APPENDIX A: GEORGIA COUNTRY REPORT .................................................... A1 APPENDIX B: KYRGYZSTAN COUNTRY REPORT.............................................B1 APPENDIX C: ROMANIA COUNTRY REPORT.................................................... C1 APPENDIX D: SERBIA COUNTRY REPORT......................................................... D1 E&E Political Party Assistance Study ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Democracy International (DI) would like to acknowledge the contributions of a number of individuals in the execution of this project and the production of this report. The principal investigators for this study were Ed Crane, Ph.D., a senior development professional and expert on political parties, legislatures and democratic development with decades of diverse experience both around the world and in the U.S., and Eric McGlinchey, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Government and Politics at George Mason University, a leading expert on political parties in Eurasia, with a particular focus on Cen- tral Asia. Kate Kuo, Program Analyst for the Bureau for Europe & Eurasia at USAID, joined the team for field interviews in Romania, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan. DI principal Eric Bjornlund, a lawyer and development professional with extensive ex- perience working with and analyzing political parties around the world, supervised the project, participated in team interviews in Serbia, and edited this report and the case stud- ies. DI Program Officer Bill Gallery coordinated and supported the team’s field research and helped edit the report and the case studies. DI principal Glenn Cowan, a political party expert with decades of experience in U.S. party politics and international party as- sistance, also advised the team, conducted interviews in Washington, and reviewed and advised on the project and its findings. Democracy International appreciates the advice and important substantive contributions of Shairbek Juraev of the Institute for Public Policy in Kyrgyzstan, Adrian Moraru of the Institute for Public Policy in Romania, Ghia Nodia of the Caucuses Institute for Peace, Democracy and Development in Georgia, and Dusan Pavlovic of the University of Bel- grade in Serbia. Each of these local political analysts provided invaluable advice and guidance. The project’s Cognizant Technical Officer, Alex Sokolowski, Senior Political Process Advisor, Bureau for Europe and Eurasia (E&E/DGST) at USAID, provided important guidance, thoughtful comments, and careful feedback throughout the process. This project was funded by USAID and the U.S. Department of State through a task order under the Democracy and Governance Analytical Services Indefinite Quantity Contract between USAID and Democracy International. Democracy International appreciates the confidence that USAID and the State Department have shown in it. The findings, views and opinions expressed in this study are those of Democracy Interna- tional and its team only. They are not necessarily the views of USAID, the State De- partment or the U.S. government. DI takes responsibility for any mistakes. i E&E Political Party Assistance Study EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Under a joint project of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. State Department (EUR/ACE), Democracy International (DI) conducted a com- prehensive study of efforts to assist political party development in Eastern Europe and Eurasia. USAID’s Europe and Eurasia Bureau and the State Department commissioned this study as part of an effort to increase the effectiveness and impact of political party development programs in environments constrained by U.S. Government assistance budgets, donor fatigue, and political and structural developments within recipient coun- tries. The purpose of this study is to suggest more effective approaches to political party development based on an examination of constraints and opportunities in the E&E region and current best practices. Using a comparative research design, Democracy International, USAID and the State Department selected cases to shed light on various approaches to political party assis- tance (PPA) in different contexts. Before beginning field research, DI prepared an exten- sive review of both the academic and applied literatures on political party assistance and developed selection criteria for the choice of case studies. Between September and De- cember 2006, DI conducted interviews and focus groups in four case-study countries: Serbia, Romania, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan. Party assistance strategies can be grouped into three core areas: (1) enhancing the elec- toral competitiveness of parties, including training in campaign strategy and tactics for parties and candidates, (2) party building, organizational development and internal de- mocracy, and (3) aiding parties in legislatures and governance. The party institutes have conducted election-assistance programs in most countries in Europe and Eurasia, but these programs remain particularly active in Eurasia. Also common throughout the re- gion are party building and organizational development programs, including constituency development, grassroots campaigns,