Přehled o publikaci

This paper deals with one of the basic but important characteristics of level of citizens participation in politics. The paper is divided into two parts. The first one captures evolution of electoral turnout since 1990 in amalgamated, non-amalgamated and splitted municipalities. Because the data till 2002 are not available for municipal parts, there is no distinction between centers and peripheries of amalgamated municipalities. The second part of the chapter answers the question how center-periphery relations influence voter turnout compared to non-amalgamated and splitted municipalities. There have already been several studies attempting to answer the question by various means – mostly by comparing non-amalgamated and amalgamated municipalities in the same time, or the same units before and after amalgamation. These studies clearly show that amalgamation causes decrease in electoral turnout. However, factors moderated the effect remains largely neglect. In this chapter, presence of candidates of parties in different parts of municipalities is included as such factor.