Demand of Left-Libertarian Parties in Central and Eastern Europe: A Cross-Regional Comparison

In the past, party systems in the central-eastern European (CEE) context experienced a relative lack of presence and electoral success of Left-Libertarian parties (LLP). However, at least since 2010 - a year of major electoral changes corresponding with the first general elections held after the global financial crisis in many countries across CEE, we perceive a potential demand for such types of parties. Such increasing demand coincides with these substantial electoral shifts in many European countries. This change is particularly noticeable in the CEE context, where such parties historically lacked parliamentary presence. Demand-side factors were cited as the main reason for the limited success of LLP type in the post-communist context. Nonetheless, in recent years some LLPs have succeeded in general elections in several CEE countries and gained parliamentary representation. Drawing on the party voter data from the European Social Survey, this article explores factors related to the demand for LLPs in a comparative perspective of different CEE countries. To achieve this objective, the paper analyses voters of LLPs from four countries. Concretely, these include We Can (Možemo) in Croatia, Pirate Party (Piráti) in Czechia, Politics Can Be Different (Lehet Más a Politika) in Hungary, and Progressive Slovakia (Progresívne Slovensko) in Slovakia. This paper identifies the specific demographic characteristics and attitudes of voters that facilitate demand for LLPs in CEE context in the concerned period between 2010 and 2024.