Overall, Central and Eastern Europe is very strongly hit in the current economic crisis that had divided the European Union as well. In some countries, which are in a nation-building state, candidates have expressed unfaltering support for nationalistic parties. In the more established countries, such as the Czech Republic or Hungary, the political elite is divided among ideological, not ethnic or nationalistic lines, and the political elite is in a deep crisis.

Ivan Gasparovic, the incumbent president has won the run-off in the Slovakian presidential elections. Mr Gasparovic is supported by the current government of the leftish-populist Smer and two small nationalist parties where the president had belonged. Iveta Radicova, the candidate of the right-wing opposition and the Hungarian minortiy has lost 55,5% - 44.5%. The presidents [...]

Macedonians headed to the polls on Sunday to choose the country’s president from seven candidates and 84 mayors from 365 candidates, and members of the local councils. The incumbent president, Branko Crvenkovski did not run for re-election. Gjorgje Ivanov, the candidate of the strongest party in the Macedonian parliament, VMRO-DPMNE, won the first round of the [...]

As expected, the least colorful incumbent president in the Visegrad Group, Ivan GaÅ¡parovi? has won the first round of Slovakia’s presidential elections. Iveta Radi?ová, the leading oppositon candiadate has collected enough votes to force him to a run-off.
Gašparovi? was first elected to the presidency in 2004, when he unexpectedly made it to the runoff election [...]