Transformation of Electoral Culture in Ukraine: From Authoritarian Practices to a Democratic Model

Abstract

The body of the article goes on to discuss the problem of electoral culture transformation from authoritarian practices to a democratic model in Ukraine. The application of the methodological approaches of modern political science, formed in the Anglo-American political science discourse, made it possible for author to substantiate that it was the period between 2014 and 2018 that facilitated democratic positive tendency in the electoral culture of Ukraine. It should be articulated, that, of particular importance were civilization factors. European civilization constants, rooted in historical traditions, spiritual and cultural values and national mentality peculiarities, have a significant impact on voters’ electoral preferences. Noteworthy, they impose on electors’ decision to choose a certain national political leader, who has finally established himself as a European-style politician. Furthermore, such archetypes of Ukrainians’ political consciousness as statism, collectivism, political radicalism are manifested in their electoral culture as a market-orientation when in power, which to some extent inhibit the final approval of the democratic model of electoral culture in Ukraine.