- izr. prof. dr. Boštjan Udovič
Slovenian Research Institute, Trst (SLORI)
- dr. Zaira Vidau
Slovenian Research Institute, Klagenfurt (SZI)
- mag. Milan Obid
External contributors
- prof. dr. Matjaž Klemenčič (INV)
Political participation of national minorities and their members: A comparative study of the political participation of Slovenian communities in countries neighbouring the Republic of Slovenia
The project focuses on the political participation of Slovenian minorities and their members in neighboring countries, their political activities and organization, specific electoral processes, and the activities of elected political representatives at all levels (e.g., local self-government; regional authorities or provinces; national level) since the 1970s, when the Helsinki Process (CSCE/OSCE) began, and especially in the period after Slovenia’s independence, taking into account specific developments and circumstances. We analyze and compare electoral legislation and systems, as well as the legal and political framework, regulation, and implementation of political participation of Slovenian minorities in the republics of Austria, Croatia, Italy, and Hungary, and the specific activities of elected and/or appointed members of these minorities.
In addition to the participation of minorities in the executive and legislative branches, we will explore forms of minority self-government and autonomy in individual countries, participation in various consultative bodies at all levels, and the activities of civil society organizations of minority communities that are involved in political processes. Members of minorities are politically active in minority political parties and/or in parties of the majority population, and at the local and regional levels they also organize themselves into electoral lists. All of the above methods can enable the election of their representatives to regional and/or consultative institutions at various levels.
The aim of the comparative analysis of the political participation of Slovenian minorities and their members in neighboring countries is to determine how effective the various forms and methods are in realizing the needs and interests of minorities and their members, and to what extent they ensure their inclusion, integration, and equality.
