The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that unexpected and unpredictable situations can hinder the conduct of general elections around the world. The book is a comprehensive analysis of the organization of elections during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the theoretical perspective, it familiarizes the public with specific electoral solutions adopted during the pandemic in selected European countries (Italy, Germany, Lithuania, Serbia, Russia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Poland).
The editors believe that this book will bring closer the specific solutions adopted in the considered countries during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide readers with a multi-faceted understanding of elections in emergency situations.
Contributors are: Roman Bäcker, Ryszard Balicki, Piotr Chrobak, RafaÅ DudaÅa, Kamil Glinka, Maciej Górny, Maciej HartliÅski, Marcin JastrzÄbski, Izabela Kapsa, Agnieszka KasiÅska-Metryka, Joanna Kielin-Maziarz, Jakub KlepaÅski, Oliwia Kowalik, Krzysztof KoźbiaÅ, Aleksandra KuczyÅska-Zonik, Natalia Kusa, Elżbieta Lesiewicz, Natasza Lubik-Reczek, Agnieszka Åukasik-Turecka, PaweÅ Malendowicz, Martinas Maluzinas, RadosÅaw MarzÄcki, Magdalena MusiaÅ-Karg, Adam Pluszczyk, Agata PyrzyÅska, Marcin RachwaÅ, Joanna Rak, Kamila Sierzputowska, Krzysztof Skotnicki, Piotr Walewicz, Jacek Wojnicki, and Waldemar Wojtasik.
Magdalena MusiaÅ-Karg is a Full Professor of political science. She works at the Faculty of Political Science and Journalism of Adam Mickiewicz University in PoznaÅ, Poland. She also the President of the Polish Political Science Association. Her research interests focus on political systems, direct democracy, alternative voting methods and the impact of modern technologies on the electoral process (e-voting).
Izabela Kapsa is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Political Science and Administration at the Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Her research focusses on political and electoral systems, civic participation, public opinion, and voting behavior. She is an author of many publications on those topics.
List of Figures and Tables
Abbreviations
Notes on Editors and Contributors
Elections in Times of a Pandemic: An Introduction
âMagdalena MusiaÅ-Karg and Izabela Kapsa
PART 1: Elections in Extraordinary Situations Dilemmas and Challenges
1 Research into Elections in Extraordinary Situations
âMagdalena MusiaÅ-Karg and Izabela Kapsa 2 Towards Resilient Electoral Systems
âPiotr Walewicz 3 Electoral Laws during the COVID-19 Pandemic as a Tool of Quasi-Militant Democracies: Comparative Perspective
âRoman Bäcker and Joanna Rak 4 Elections in Times of a Pandemic â the Context of Political Disinformation
âWaldemar Wojtasik and Adam Pluszczyk 5 Populism in Times of Pandemic â When Difficult Questions Find Simple Answers. An Analysis of the Phenomenon taking into account Selected Choices
âAgnieszka KasiÅska-Metryka 6 A Radical Criticism of the Democratic State: The Case of the Anarchist Movement in Pandemic Times
âPaweÅ Malendowicz 7 Alternative Voting Procedures and Universal Suffrage during a Pandemic
âMarcin RachwaÅ 8 Pandemic Elections in European Union Countries in the Assessment of OSCE Observing Missions Reports
âMarcin JastrzÄbski
PART 2: Elections during a Pandemic European Experiences â Case Studies
9 Italy: First Infected Country in Europe and Constitutional Referendum
âRafaÅ DudaÅa 10 The 2020 Parliamentary Election in Lithuania. Between Participation and Quality of Democracy during Pandemic
âMagdalena MusiaÅ-Karg and Martinas Malużinas 11 The First âpandemicâ Election in Europe. Remarks Regarding the 2020 Election to the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia
âNatasza LubikâReczek 12 Elections and Referenda in the Principality of Liechtenstein during the Coronavirus Pandemic
âKrzysztof KoźbiaÅ 13 Local Elections Under Lockdown: The Case of Latvia
âAleksandra KuczyÅska-Zonik 14 Elections under Special Supervision. Czech Republic 2020â2021
âElżbieta Lesiewicz 15 Does COVID-19 Really Matter? The Case of Landtags and Bundestag Elections in Germany in 2021
âKamil Glinka 16 The 2021 Parliamentary Elections in Bulgaria â A Long Farewell to Borisov
âJacek Wojnicki 17 Non/elections in Pandemic Conditions. Parliamentary Elections in the Russian Federation in 2021
âNatalia Kusa 18 Local Elections during a Pandemic Time â A Case of Estonia
âMaciej Górny, Oliwia Kowalik and Kamila Sierzputowska
PART 3: Electoral Turbulence in Poland From Disastrous Reform and Failed Election to Safeguarding Democracy: Poland as a Unique Case Study
19 Guarantees of Universal Suffrage in the Era of Elections Held during the Pandemic
âKrzysztof Skotnicki and Joanna Kielin-Maziarz 20 The Impact of the Experience from Elections during the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Desirable Direction of Changes in Polish Electoral Law
âAgata PyrzyÅska 21 The Course of the Election Process in Poland during the COVID-19 Pandemic
âRyszard Balicki 22 Postal Voting of Poles abroad â The Case of the 2020 Presidential Election
âIzabela Kapsa and Magdalena MusiaÅ-Karg 23 Was it a âYouthquakeâ? The Increase in Electoral and Political Participation of Polish Youth during the COVID-19 Pandemic
âRadosÅaw MarzÄcki 24 Political Communication During the 2020 Presidential Election Campaign in Poland: The role of Medical Experts
âAgnieszka Åukasik-Turecka 25 Positions of the Main Political Parties in Poland on the Presidential Election during the COVID-19 Pandemic
âPiotr Chrobak 26 Polish Political Leadersâ Views on Holding the Presidential Election during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Parliamentary Speeches
âJakub KlepaÅski and Maciej HartliÅski
Conclusion: Elections in Extraordinary Situations
âMagdalena MusiaÅ-Karg and Izabela Kapsa
Index
This volume is of interest to (i) students who want to learn about elections, electoral law, management of elections (ii) academics: political scientists, lawyers, media scholars interested in elections in extraordinary circumstances (iii) academic libraries and (iv) practitioners.