Christian democracy in Central and Eastern Europe I. – Introduction

Christian democracy is generally treated as a Western European phenomenon. From the end of the Second World War to the 1980s, it was mainly Western European countries, especially (Western) Germany, Italy, France, and the Benelux countries, where Christian democratic political parties flourished and could seriously impact politics. However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Christian democratic movement had an opportunity to – building on its historical roots – spread in the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) countries. This series of papers focuses on the recent history and the current status of Christian democracy in CEE countries. As an introduction, the first piece deals with a historical overview of the region from the transitions based on the scientific literature.