The electoral system in the context of democratic local governments of Poland and the Slovak Republic (experience for Ukraine)

Abstract

The article examines models of their electoral systems by comparing the electoral laws of Poland and the Slovak Republic. The influence of electoral systems on the democratization of local government models is reasonably argued.

In the first part of the study the regulatory framework for local government elections in Poland is analyzed. The advantages and disadvantages of the Polish local election system are outlined. Particular attention is paid to the adoption of the Electoral Code, which systematized the electoral legislation in Poland. Therefore, the evolution of the electoral model, the detailed regulation of the electoral process and the formation of transparency have led to the formation of an effective, stable, operating electoral system in Poland.

In the second part of the study the evolution of the electoral law of the Slovak Republic is observed. The author notes the differences in holding municipal elections in Slovakia and Poland. The procedural aspects of elections in Slovakia, which are regulated by the new Electoral Code (2014), are analyzed. The author noted the combination of electoral and decentralization reform, which in general ensures a high degree of democratic self-government.

As a result, the analysis of electoral systems leads to the conclusion that their stability has a positive effect on the efficiency and sustainability of functioning of local self-government bodies. The surveyed countries (Poland and Slovakia) introduced Electoral Codes, which allowed for unification of election procedures during all types of elections.