Оleksii Sydorchuk
Olexiy Haran
Ukraine after Euromaidan: Increased Pluralism amid Patronal Politics // Illiberal and Authoritarian Tendencies in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe /Eds. M. Solska, F. Bieber and D. Taleski. - Bern: Peter Lang, 2018. - PP. 253-273.
Ukraine’s development after the turbulent events of Euromaidan and the ensuing Russian aggression saw increased space for political competition and social activism against the backdrop of continued patronage politics. Reinvigorated civil society mirrored the consolidation of Ukrainian society around the need to resist the foreign threat and implement sweeping reforms, while the disintegration of authoritarian vertical government and the collapse of the party system paved the way for the dissipation of power and the intensification of political struggle. Yet, high-level politics remained dominated by informal networks and patron-client relations, which trumped formal rules, undermined reform progress, and constrained post-2014 liberal gains. Struggles between representatives of vested interests and reformist forces will, to a great degree, determine Ukraine’s ability to resist implantation of Russian authoritarian model and safeguard its democratic achievements.
Keywords: civil society, Euromaidan, informal networks, patronal politics, political institutions, reforms, Russian aggression
