While many European nations have similar governmental structures and political ideologies, others starkly contrast each other. But have you ever wondered which pair of countries have the least similar politics in Europe?
One way to answer this subjective question is by analyzing the data from the Country Similarity Index. The index attempts to quantify how similar countries are to each other relative to other countries, using a variety of statistics. An analysis of the political data suggests that Ireland and Belarus have the least similar governments in Europe. However, the government of Belarus is also far different from United Kingdom‘s and Finland‘s.
Ireland – Belarus
Ireland and Belarus represent two ends of the political spectrum in Europe. Ireland is known for its vibrant democracy. It has a parliamentary system of government. Its President is the ceremonial head of state and the Prime Minister is the head of government. The country’s political landscape is characterized by competitive multiparty elections.
On the other hand, Belarus is an authoritarian regime. It is often referred to as the last dictatorship in Europe. President Alexander Lukashenko has maintained an iron grip on power for decades, stifling opposition, suppressing dissent, and controlling the media. Belarus has faced criticism for electoral irregularities.
In Ireland, a robust legal framework protects human rights and civil liberties, including freedom of speech, religion, assembly, and association. In contrast, Belarus suppresses the liberties of its people. It tightly controls media, limiting access to unbiased information. There is significantly less rule of law in Belarus, due to high levels of government corruption.
Another difference is that Ireland’s laws tend to be more liberal. Ireland allows same sex marriage, with legal protections, while Belarus does not allow same sex marriages and actively hinders LGBT activism. Furthermore, Ireland abolished the death penalty for all offenses in 1990, while the death penalty is allowed in Belarus.
Finland – Belarus
Finland and Belarus are another pair of European countries that are very different politically. Finland is widely regarded as a model of Nordic social democracy. The country’s governance is characterized by a parliamentary republic, where the President serves as the head of state, while the Prime Minister leads the government. It also has a unicameral legislature.
Contrastingly, Belarus has a highly centralized and authoritarian government. The country has faced international scrutiny for its lack of democratic processes and repression of political opponents. The vast disparities between the two countries’ governance models are evident in their respective approaches to human rights, freedom of the press, and rule of law.
Finland is known for its strong welfare state, emphasis on education, and a comprehensive social safety net. Belarus also has social welfare programs, that are less comprehensive and less developed compared to Finland. The government provides basic social assistance to some segments of the population, but the coverage and extent of these programs are limited.
Belarus is a long-time ally with Russia, and their relationship has been characterized by cooperation in various areas, including economic and military matters. They are also part of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), a regional economic bloc. In contrast, Finland is now a member of NATO, an organization created to limit Russia’s military aggression.
