Postcommunist Presidents

The best-known political leaders of former communist states are their presidents. To many people, Yeltsin, Havel and Walesa are the symbols of the birth of democracy in their countries, yet their historical legacy remains unclear. Have the first postcommunist presidents institutionalized democratic rule so that they are no longer essential to its survival? Leading specialists examine the presidents and presidential elections in six states--Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary--asking whether strong presidents augur well for future democratic development in the region.