Constitutional Conventions in Central Europe: Presidents in Government Formation Process

Abstract

This article is focused on constitutional conventions pertaining to government formation in the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia. Using the concept of informal institutions, building on Anglo-Saxon scholarship complemented with Central European literature, the article approaches constitutional conventions as a special type of informal institution.

Taking perspectives of political science and constitutional theory, and employing both formal analysis of constitutional articles as well as analysis of actual political-constitutional practice, the article has identified two or three constitutional conventions that have emerged in each country since 1990.

Keywords

• constitutional conventions
• Central Europe
• government formation