Power-Sharing in Europe

This book evaluates the performance of consociational power-sharing arrangements in Europe by addressing two key questions: First, under what conditions do consociational arrangements come in and out of being? And second, how do consociational arrangements work in practice and how do they mediate potential deadlock between power-sharing partners? The volume assesses core aspects of power-sharing theory and practice through a collection of case studies drawn from across the European continent. Chapters cover those countries which were early adopters of consociationalism but which have since moved on to other institutional designs (the Netherlands, Austria), early adopters which continue to use consociational processes to manage their differences (Belgium, Switzerland, South Tyrol), and ‘new wave’ cases where consociationalism was adopted after violent internal conflict (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Northern Ireland). The book also examines cases of unresolved conflict and consider to what extent consociationalism can help mediate their ongoing divisions (Cyprus, Spain). 

Soeren Keil is Reader in Politics and International Relations at Canterbury Christ Church University, UK. He is also Visiting Professor and Module Director at Centre International de Formation Europeene (CIFE) in Nice, France. His research focuses on the use of territorial autonomy as a tool of conflict resolution, the political systems of the Western Balkan states and the process of EU enlargement.

Allison McCulloch is Associate Professor of Political Science at Brandon University, Manitoba, Canada. Her research considers the politics of deeply divided societies, with a specific emphasis on the design of political power-sharing (consociational) institutions.