MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES
Rafal Czachor, PhD Lower Silesian University of Entrepreneurship and Technology (Poland) International Conference „De-facto Entities in the Post-Soviet Space: Dynamics and Prospects” Sevan 4-5.09.2014
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES
the issue of unrecognized post-Soviet states is generally presented in the context of international politics and geopolitical rivalry in the region • researchers are not focused on the problem of state-building, the development of the political systems or the domestic policy of post-Soviet de facto entities • de facto states: ‘an anomaly’, ‘a virtual black hole’, ‘bastards of the Soviet Union’ •
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES
two decades of efficient functioning of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and NKR makes it possible to generalize and describe the main features of their political development: roots of separatism type of public power social cleavages impact of infernal factors •
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES
after the collapse of the Soviet Union, de facto and fully recognized post-Soviet states faced the same problems of political transformation • the main difference and determinant of the development of de facto entities was a lack of full recognition. That fact was not an obstacle in the formation of relatively stable and effective political systems. •
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES
Justification of separatism: historical background and the right to self-determination - historical arguments: the tradition of national self-organization - history as a tool that legitimizes existence of de facto states - nomenklatura: from communist towards nationalist rhetoric -international law: the right to self-determination vs. territorial integrity •
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES
Social support for independence, narrow political discourse and high level of political participation - the nations of the de facto states are convinced that separation from Georgia and Azerbaijan was necessary - the societies were determined to pay huge costs for military campaigns - de facto states have all the attributes of a state and are recognized by their residents •
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES
Social support for independence, narrow political discourse and high level of political participation - de facto states present high levels of selfdetermination and self-organisation - - constiution (‘rule-of-law based states’) - - mechanism of the legitimation of power - - democratic elections •
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES
Social support for independence, narrow political discourse and high level of political participation - no alternative to continuing efforts for international recognition and strengthening political systems - narrow political discourse: no parties or politicians that are calling for the incorporation of de facto states into the mother states •
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES
High level of political participation in the de facto states •
Abkhazia
South Ossetia
Presidental elections
71,92% (2011)
71,26%** (2012)
Nagorno Karabakh 67,8% (2010)
Parliamentary elections
41,21%* (2012)
81,93 (2009)
73,38% (2012)
* - second round ** - runoff
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES • Social cleavages in recognized and de facto
Caucasian states Class (clan) cleavage
Confessio Ethnic nal cleavage cleavage
Georgia Azerbaijan Abkhazia South Ossetia
MEDIUM MEDIUM MEDIUM SMALL
MEDIUM MEDIUM SMALL NONE
HIGH HIGH MEDIUM MEDIUM
Center vs. Amount periphery of cleavage cleavag es SMALL 2,25 MEDIUM 2,0 SMALL 1,5 SMALL 1,0
Armenia NKR
MEDIUM NONE
NONE NONE
NONE NONE
SMALL NONE
HIGH – 1,0; MEDIUM – 0,5; SMALL – 0,25; NONE - 0
0,75 0
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES
Domination of the president in the political systems -- predominant position of president - centralization of power - strong presidencies are accompanied by relatively weak parliaments and governments - to provide policy, the presidents do not need the support of the parliamentary majority. The presidents’ legitimations of power are based on nationwide elections and the support of the citizens •
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES
Domination of the president in the political systems -- parliaments do not have developed control rights towards the presidents and the governments - power of the parliaments is impaired by the presidents’ legislative rights and the right to veto acts produced by the parliaments -constitutions recognize local self-government as an initial level of self-determination and selforganization •
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES -Presidential
power in the Caucasian states and de facto states I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
POW ER
Abkhazia South Ossetia
2 2
1 1
2 2
2 2
1 1
2 2
2 2
0 1
1 2
13 15
Nagorno Karabakh
2
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
11
Armenia Georgia Azerbaijan
2 2 2
1 0 1
1 2 1
1 1 0
1 2 2
1 1 2
0 2 2
1 1 0
1 2 2
9 13 12
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES -Parliament’s
power in the Caucasian states and de facto states I
II
III
IV
V
POWER
Abkhazia
1
0
0
2
0
3
South Ossetia
1
1
1
1
0
4
Nagorno Karabakh
1
1
2
1
1
6
Armenia
1
1
2
1
1
6
Georgia
1
1
2
1
0
5
Azerbaijan 1
0
0
2
1
4
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES -Government’s
power in the Caucasian states and de facto states I
II
III
IV
V
VI
POWER
Abkhazia
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
South Ossetia
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Nagorno Karabakh
1
1
1
1
0
0
4
Armenia
1
2
2
0
0
0
5
Georgia
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
Azerbaijan
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES • Domination
of the president in the political
system - strong presidential power - centralization of power - key role of military officers ‘siloviki’ - high level of political participation - democratic procedures - pluralism
‘military regime’
strong and sustainable state
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES
Successful transition from struggle for independence to the civil rule of law -after the period of wars for independence unrecognized republics have started the process of civil statebuilding -they adopted democratic constitutions, that guarantee human and civil rights, respect the principle of separation of powers -authorities that got power in the early 90’s confirmed their legitimation in popular elections •
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES
Successful transition from struggle for independence to the civil rule of law -authoritarian tendencies in Abkhazia and South Ossetia were stopped by constitutional crises -dissolutions of the crises were opening the ways to internal reinforcement of political systems and have stopped authoritarian tendencies. -unrecognized states witnessed precedents of shifting power towards opposition, what is rare phenomenon in the post-Soviet space. •
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES
International factor: weakness of mother state - all military attempts taken by Georgia and Azerbaijan to ensure the integrity have failed - for citizens and elites of de facto entities Georgia and Azerbaijan are not an interesting alternative for own statehood - poverty in Georgia; cultural differences between Armenians and Azerbaijanis - political systems of Georgia and Azerbaijan are not attractive for de facto states’ societies •
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES •Democracy
in Caucasian states and the facto entities (according to Freedom House Index 2014) Political rights
Civil liberties
Freedom status
Georgia
3
3
partly free
Abkhazia
4
5
partly free
Armenia
5
4
partly free
Nagorno Karabakh 5
5
partly free
Azerbaijan
6
6
not free
South Ossetia
7
6
not free
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES
International factor: metropolitan states’ support - Caucasian de facto states enjoy support from metropolitan states and are heavily dependent on them -Russia’s support and protection of Abkhazia and South Ossetia can be treated as a function of Kremlin’s global and regional policy •
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES
International factor: metropolitan states’ support -Russia develops the dependence of Abkhazia’s and South Ossetia’s societies and elites (military, economic support, ‘outsourcing’) -in the long term perspective, Russia’s patronage will have negative consequences and could destabilize their political systems •
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES
International factor: metropolitan states’ support - Armenia’s authorities support NKR diplomatically, militarily and economically -Armenia’s funds make up a big part of the NKR budget and donations by the Armenian diaspora play an important role in state income -Russia’s involvement with NKR is relatively weak. •
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES
Conclusions - most sustainable political systems are in NKR and Abkhazia - the Abkhaz are probably the most determined to establish a permanent independent state. NKR is seeking its future as a united state with Armenia, while South Ossetia is regularly applying for unification with North Ossetia within the Russian Federation. •
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES
Conclusions -with their long and relatively sustainable existence, de facto entities demonstrate the vitality of their societies and their political maturity. •
MAIN FEATURES OF THE POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF CAUCASIAN DE FACTO STATES
Thank you! Rafał Czachor
[email protected] Presentation based on a book: R. Czachor, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Nagorno-Karabakh: roots and functioning of political systems, Wrocław 2014 (in Polish, circulated free of charge)
