Abstract

Although much has been written about the process of party system institutionalization, the reasons why some party systems institutionalize remains a mystery. Seeking to solve such puzzle, and making use of three different methodological techniques (MDSO/MSDO, csQCA and process-tracing), this paper constitutes an attempt to explain what, how, and why some post-communist party systems institutionalized (while others have not). The conclusion is that while economic development is a sufficient condition party system institutionalization, the latter can also take place in countries with parliamentary concentration, cleavage cumulation and funding provisions for political parties. This latter finding is particularly interesting as previous studies tend to show mixed results.