Presidency Institute in Post-Soviet Countries: Evaluation Method, Factors of Model Formation and Transformation

Due to various reasons, several presidentialistic models influencing regime transformation paths, were formed in independent post-Soviet countries. Along with this, despite several coups, power shift and political elite renewal, each model turned out to be extremely stable demonstrating a trend toward reproduction (i.e., institutionalization that requires explanation and conceptualization). To begin with, novelty of the research is that a post-Soviet presidency institute of a certain country or a group of countries is attributed to one or another presidentialistic model and their comparative analysis is performed in the light of potential political regime stability forecasting; secondly, a comprehensive method of post-Soviet presidentialism evaluation based on study of formal and informal practices of presidency institute functioning is developed; thirdly, presi­dentialistic models are considered to be stable patterns reproducible even after presidential power shift and so-called “revolutions”. Based on the author’s findings, abstract theorems involving division of post-Soviet presidency institute models were created, as well as genesis and transformation of post-Soviet presidency institute models were evaluated. A comprehensive method of post-Soviet presidency institute evaluation based on study of formal and informal practices of its functioning was developed. It enables a follow-up research of these models. Indices of presidency institute competitiveness and institutionalization used to assess presidency institute in post-Soviet countries were calculated. Stable and reproducible models of a presidency institute were detected in post-Soviet countries. A relationship between presidency institute functioning and types of post-Soviet party systems was justified.