Non-partisan Local Actors As The Element Of Absorbed Local Democracy?
Non-partisan Local Actors As The Element Of Absorbed Local Democracy?

Summary/Abstract: The paper focuses on a lesser known political phenomenon seen in Slovenia since the country gained its independence in 1991. At every local election since 1994 so-called independent candidates and non-partisan lists 1 have been gaining ever more votes and increasing support . For various reasons, this phenomenon does not exist at the national level of government, while local elections are sometimes seen as not being so important and are often in the shadow of presidential or parliamentary elections (Haček 1999: 220). By drawing on several debates, analyses and empirical researches, in the paper, we make the presumption that there are three origins of the successfulness of these independent candidates and non-partisan lists. We also try to ascertain whether these independent candidates and non-partisan lists are truly a product of an anti-party climate and movements or whether they are simply another way for political parties to gain political power at local levels of government. At the same time, we analyse the success and appearance of local and regional political parties at local elections.

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