Editing Party system (section)

==== Central and Eastern Europe ====
Four party systems have been identified in post-communist countries of Central-Eastern Europe:<ref>Agh (1998) and Oppelland (2003), as quoted by Schmitt and Thomassed, "The EU Party System after Eastern Enlargement", ''Political Science Series'' #105, ''Institute for Advanced Studies'', Vienna, 2005</ref>
* I system (late 1980s – early 1990s): dominated by the opposition between communists and anti-communists, i.e. from supporters and opponents of the old regime; spontaneous mass movements formed on idealistic bases and transformed into 'umbrella parties'
* II system (early 1990s): opposition between winners and losers of the economic transition to a [[market economy]]. Anti-communist parties split and formed unstable coalition governments. Many parties, with a narrow political base, grew up
* III system (late 1990s): the social conflicts of market transition aggravated, and [[social-democratic]] post-communist parties took over. The party system concentrated, while electoral volatility was extremely high
* IV system (2000s): rise of a relatively stable and modestly concentrated party system, organized on a left-right dimension, including post-communist parties. Fragmentation did not rise again after the fall of many social-democratic parties from government.