The Twin Challenges to Separation of Powers in Central Europe:Technocratic Governance and Populism

Abstract

Separation of institutions, functions and personnel – Checks\nand balances – Hungary, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia – Short\ntradition of separation of powers in Central Europe – Fragile\ninterwar systems of separation of powers – Communist principle\nof centralisation of power – Technocratic challenge to\nseparation of powers during the EU accession – One-sided checks\non the elected branches and empowering technocratic elitist\ninstitutions – Populist challenge to separation of powers in\nthe 2010s – Re-politicising of the public sphere, removing most\nchecks on the elected branches, and curtailing and packing the\nunelected institutions – Technocratic and populist challenges\nto separation of powers interrelated more than we thought.