The Irregular Pendulum of Democracy

This book is a "Must-Read" for those interested to grasp the fluidity of dynamics marking the Yugoslav successor states, and particularly Serbia, Montenegro and North Macedonia. The author insightfully describes how corruption, clientelism, and populism dramatically squeeze these countries in a vice grip between democratization and its reversal. The image of the "irregular pendulum of democracy" helps focusing on key mechanisms causing the backsliding of democracy in this European region.

Stefano Bianchini, University of Bologna, Italy

The first original contribution of this book is a productive analytical merge of populism, clientelism and corruption with specific strategies that elites employ to push democracy downhill. The second one is a refined analysis of an "irregular pendulum of democracy" in Serbia, Montenegro and North Macedonia. Sotiropoulos' arguments are clear and convincing. His sophisticated empirical analysis is firmly basedin theory and sovereign knowledge of post-Yugoslav politics.

Jovan Teokarevic, University of Belgrade, Serbia, and College of Europe, Belgium

The author offers a lucid account of the weakening of democratic institutions in the Western Balkans and a theoretical explanation of the causal mechanisms enabling authoritarian-minded leaderships to hold on power. Drawing on democratization theory and extensive fieldwork, the book presents a deeply thought-out analytical scheme of authoritarian trends that is worth testing in other regions as well.

Nikolaos Tzifakis, University of the Peloponnese, Greece