The influence of civil society on Ukrainian anti-corruption policy after the Maidan

Felix Blatt,Caroline Schlaufer

doi:10.2478/cejpp-2021-0001

Abstract

Abstract This article examines the influence of civil society on Ukrainian anti-corruption policy after the Maidan in 2014. Drawing on the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF), we hypothesise that the Maidan events led to a redistribution of formal legal authority in the anti-corruption policy subsystem, opened access to policy venues for civil society actors, and increased leverage of international organisations to push for strict reforms. We test these expectations with a systematic content analysis of primary documents and semi-structured interviews. Findings show that changes in the formal legal authority to make policy decisions led to anti-corruption policy change. The newly adopted policies were largely influenced by civil society actors who had increased venue access after the Maidan. In addition, civil society advocated for strict anti-corruption reforms through international organisation.

Highlights

In 2014, Ukrainian experts and scholars founded a network of civil society organisations called the Reanimation Package of Reforms (RPR)
We argue that the events of the Maidan in Kyiv consisted of a shock that led to both a redistribution of resources among coalitions and a change in policy venue access for civil society actors
Our research highlights the importance of new actors coming to power for policy change. We examine this aspect in the context of the first policy change hypothesis, arguing that a perturbation led to a redistribution of legal authority as the most important coalition resource allowing for anti-corruption policy change

Summary

Introduction

In 2014, Ukrainian experts and scholars founded a network of civil society organisations called the Reanimation Package of Reforms (RPR). This article examines how civil society actors of the RPR have influenced Ukrainian anti-corruption policy after the Maidan events in 2014. We draw on the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) (Jenkins-Smith, Nohrstedt, Weible, & Ingold, 2017; Sabatier, 1987) to trace the influence of the RPR on key anti-corruption reforms and on the implementation of these reforms. We argue that the events of the Maidan in Kyiv consisted of a shock that led to both a redistribution of resources among coalitions and a change in policy venue access for civil society actors. The RPR strategically used the newly gained access to policymaking venues and the increased leverage of international actors to advocate for enhanced anti-corruption policies

Objectives

Results

Discussion

Conclusion