Abstract:
Ukraine’s development after the turbulent events of Euromaidan and the ensuing Russian
aggression saw increased space for political competition and social activism against the
backdrop of continued patronage politics. Reinvigorated civil society mirrored the consolidation of Ukrainian society around the need to resist the foreign threat and implement
sweeping reforms, while the disintegration of authoritarian vertical government and the
collapse of the party system paved the way for the dissipation of power and the intensification of political struggle. Yet, high-level politics remained dominated by informal networks
and patron-client relations, which trumped formal rules, undermined reform progress, and
constrained post-2014 liberal gains. Struggles between representatives of vested interests
and reformist forces will, to a great degree, determine Ukraine’s ability to resist implantation of Russian authoritarian model and safeguard its democratic achievements.
