Regional Elections in Ukraine in 2006 and 2010

Abstract

Elections can contribute to both democratic and authoritarian developments. Literatures on new democracies most often investigate general elections. This paper shows that the study of regional contests adds a crucial dimension to the understanding of regime trajectories, as well as parties and party systems. The objects of investigation are multi-level election in Ukraine -a postcommunist state in Eastern Europe outside the European Union. The aim is to explain why parties' vote shares at simultaneous and non-simultaneous elections are fluid and why major frontrunners at general elections perform worse at regional contests in the same regions. Also, the paper shows what makes general and regional electoral arenas mutually dependent. Finally, it explains how regional elections affect the trajectory of democratisation in Ukraine.