Impeachment in Central and Eastern Europe

Abstract

This chapter surveys theoretical and practical aspects of impeachment in Central and Eastern Europe, focussing on the 11 countries that joined the European Union after 2004. After the process of impeachment was virtually non-existent under Socialist rule, all countries introduced measures allowing for the removal of public officials as part of their transition to democracy. The chapter focusses primarily on the rules governing presidential impeachment and gauges the impact of legislative thresholds, public involvement and the role constitutional courts in shaping hurdles and incentives for initiating proceedings. The discussion is accompanied brief case studies of the use impeachment regulations across the region – including the impeachment of Rolandas Paksas in Lithuania and the two failed attempts to oust Romanian president Traian Basescu – and illustrates their relevance in relation to both directly and indirectly elected heads of state. Drawing on these examples and broadening the focus to include impeachment of other public officials, the last part of the chapter assesses the degree which to impeachment proceedings in Central and Eastern Europe have been instrumentalised by political elites. The chapter concludes by placing the findings into a wider context and reflecting on the future role of impeachment proceedings across the region amid larger trends, such as democratic backsliding and increasing political polarization.