"The book surveys processes of party development in the context of the ten years of democratic change in post-communist eastern Europe. It examines the capacity of the former ruling parties to attract contemporary voters and their role in contributing to the consolidation of the new democratic regimes. Attention is paid to key comparative processes of party development in terms of the professionalization of party activity, aspects of party system institutionalization, major dimensions of institutional and electoral development, and party finances. A range of countries are surveyed to throw light on these processes, and broad analysis conducted of the nature of conservatism in post-communist Europe and the role of transnational party co-operation in fostering processes of Europeanization."--Jacket.