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This article empirically illustrates the value of coalition formation in legislative bargaining. I argue that legislators' potential to form powerful coalitions, their coalition potential, is essential to their ability to obtain preferred policy outcomes. Using data on the European Union's legislative process, I show that coalition potential significantly increases legislators' success. Moreover, the value of coalition potential depends on the voting rules used to pass legislation. For example, under the unanimity voting rule, the importance of coalition potential is insignificant because of the veto power held by each legislator.

This article discusses the situation in Spain, the region of Catalonia and, more specifically, the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), which has been leading the way in introducing the changes proposed by the Bologna Process. This process has involved changing various aspects
of teaching and learning practices and implementing the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). The new practices are now being extended to other universities all over Spain. This process has been very controversial with demonstrations by students at UAB and other Spanish universities. This
article considers student experiences of the Bologna Process.

The goal of the 2009 UN Climate Change Conference, commonly known as the Copenhagen Summit, has been to reach a legally binding agreement between participant states. As a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, this sort of agreement would have engaged signatory parties with reducing their greenhouse gas emissions in order to prevent the rise with 2 degrees Celsius in global temperature. This paper is an analysis of the above-mentioned event, which focuses on itsmain result, namely the Copenhagen Accord. It also presents the role of the European Union at the Copenhagen Summit and in promoting sustainable development globally.

In the past two decades privatisation and liberalisation of network industries providing services of general economic interest (SGEI), have been particularly significant in the European Union. Wide variations around a common policy trend can, however, be observed across countries and sectors. We focus on electricity and gas sectors because energy sectors have usually been profit makers, not affected by direct government transfers, in contrast to other SGEI. We study the effects of privatisation and other reforms on consumer prices using both subjective data on consumers' perception of utility prices and data on average prices paid.

International audience ; E-participation applications enable online participation of citizens and interested stakeholder groups in political debates and strategic decision-making. The tools, channels and devices through which online participation takes place require proper design to support citizens, politicians and other actors. To incorporate the needs of these actors into the functionalities of an eParticipation platform, this contribution proposes a hands-on guideline for e-participation initiatives. It has been generated from the experiences of two European projects: VoicE and VoiceS. The paper describes the six-step iterative process to successfully plan and realize e-participation initiatives.

An overview of key strategic policy items begins with a discussion of nuclear disarmament that focuses on President Barack Obama's changes to US nuclear policy as laid out in his April 2009 speech in Prague. US defense policy is examined next, highlighting the prospect of long-term adjustments to the structure of US armed forces evidenced in policy changes under Obama & Defense Secretary Robert Gates, whose hallmark has been "balance." Attention turns to changes occurring within the major institutional frameworks for EU multinational security & cooperation, detailing problems & promise in the European security architecture. D. Edelman

За последние десятилетия в мировой экономике произошли глубокие изменения, связанные с разработкой стратегий новой глобальной политической и экономической конкуренции и изменением роли государства в регулировании экономики. Позитивный Европейский опыт может быть использован странами СНГ в процессе реализации планов интеграционного взаимодействия.The development of the world economy in the last decades is influenced by the challenges in the global political and economic competition. These developments provide the basis for a significant change of the role of state as a main economic regulator. However, the positive European experience could be used by CIS countries in the realization of their integration plans.

AbstractThe impact of political institutions on policy performance has been a major research question in studies of advanced democracies. This study analyzes the effects of institutions and political actors on economic, social and environmental policies in ten Central Eastern European countries from 1995 to 2004. Using time-series-cross section (TSCS) regression analysis, this study shows that the impact of institutional veto players on policy output is more significant than international pressure. Moreover, the communist legacy has a much higher effect on policy output than expected.

Argues that the exit of the baby boomers from the US labor market will provide an opportunity to advance racial integration in the form of "non-zero-sum" mobility. This window is seen as akin to the post-WWII (ie, 1945-1970) mass assimilation of "white ethnics" (eg, Irish Catholics & southern & eastern European Catholics & Jews). It is asserted that educational inequality impedes such large-scale social change. Whites' place in effecting racial integration in the US is considered in terms of increased social contact. Attention is given to changing demographics & ongoing racial stratification that negatively impacts blacks. D. Edelman

AbstractRisks that emerge during the implementation and enforcement stages of defense procurement help explain procurement outcomes. Adverse events have impacts on the timing, cost and quality of goods supplied. The procurement process is analyzed on the basis of an original dataset covering 48 defense procurement contracts signed by the French Ministry of Defense with 18 European contractors. Contractual problems create the most adverse events in this sector, while technological risk is the second most significant risk. Although opportunism takes various forms, it is found only rarely in these defense contracts.