The Electoral Political Economy Analyses allow for systemic monitoring of various processes.
This methodology uses the political economy analysis (PAE) methodology, which studies the interaction of political and economic processes in society, distribution of power and wealth between different groups and individuals as well as processes that create, sustain and transform those relationships over time.
The political economy analysis helps to understand what drives political behaviour, how it shapes particular policies and programmes, with special focus on:
- The interests and incentives facing different groups in society and how these generate specific policy outcomes that may encourage or hinder development.
- The role that formal institutions and informal social, political, and cultural norms play in shaping human interaction and political and economic competition.
- The impact of values and ideas, including political ideologies, religion and cultural beliefs, on political behaviour and public policy.
The EPEA analysis recognises the complexity of electoral processes and the number of factors that influence it, which go beyond election administration, free and fair competition of candidates and observance of the right to vote. The role and impact of socio-economic factors in electoral processes have been recognized in the research of electoral integrity and political stability.
EPEA as a tool for systematic monitoring
Recognising that the EPEA is not a single report but a tool, which is to allow for systematic monitoring of the area of interests and identifying the emerging risks and opportunities the ECES develops the maps of variables used in the political risk analysis and scenarios’ development methodologies to support the analysis based on field and desk research.
The developed maps aim at the visualisation of current situation and conditions as well as at defining the most influential variables, which – by changing its value – may present an opportunity or threat for different areas of the research topic. The identified variables are connected by the direct - in-coming or out-going – edges. The incoming edges represent influences a variable is subjected to, whereas out-going edges indicate how influential is a variable. The greater the number of out-going edges, the more influential is the variable. Hence, in the process of working towards an electoral reform or its specific area, one needs to focus on the variables defined as influencers to change the value of the most volatile ones (which are at the same time the most pivotal).
The maps of variables are delivered to the local ECES partners and are thoroughly discussed in order to serve as a meaningful monitoring tool.
