Institutional choice in the late-Soviet political systems: Presidency models formation

Abstract

The article is devoted to factors analysis of the establishment of the presidency institute in the USSR Union republics and formation of this institution in the newly independent states, in particular, the role of late-Soviet institutional heritage in shaping of new political institutions is being examined. Based on the analysis of the form of government index and the competitiveness index, basic presidency models are defined and their classification is offered. It is noted that there is no significant correlation between the mode of regime change, the rise of the opposition to power and the institutional power of the president. The most significant factors having determined the formation of presidency institution in the late-Soviet period were the degree of political conflicts intensity (intra-elite divisions), territorial cleavages and structural cleavages. The parliamentary-presidential model in the form in which it was originally implemented in the Union republics, became effective nowhere.