The Role of Political Institutions in Promoting Political Stability: A Comparative Study of Contemporary Political Systems

Political stability is a key factor in the uninterrupted nature of the governance, the implementation of public policy, socioeconomic development, and the peaceful conduct of political competition. Political institutions are deeply involved in this process through their rules governing the use of power, their structure of relations among political actors, their structure of representation and accountability, and their structure of formal dispute resolution. This paper explores the impact of political institutions on the maintenance of political stability by comparing the contemporary political systems. Specific focus is placed on the effectiveness of legislation, the capacity of the Executive, judicial independence, the rule of law, electoral and representative institutions, political participation and institutional accountability. The study is based on a comparative mixed-method approach – combining a qualitative institutional analysis with quantitative governance indicators. Data are based on internationally accepted sources such as the Worldwide Governance indicators and the Global State of Democracy Indices. Analysis shows that constitutional and regime type are insufficient to explain political stability. Instead, the dimensions of stable political governance that are significant are institutional performance, effectiveness, legitimacy, adaptability, and capability in politics management.