Civil society in the system of checks and balances of democratic governance under conditions of political polarisation

Abstract

Contemporary processes of political polarisation significantly reshape the mechanisms of democratic governance, reinforcing the role of non-state actors in maintaining institutional equilibrium. In an environment of growing conflict and fragmentation of societal viewpoints, civil society increasingly serves as a key arena for fostering public trust, providing expert evaluation of government decisions, and establishing channels for responsible citizen participation in political processes. The purpose of the article is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the role of civil society in maintaining power balance in democratic governance amid political polarisation. The study examines how the structural components of civil society – non-governmental organisations, analytical centres, media, and local initiatives – create alternative channels of oversight and influence the effectiveness of the system of checks and balances. The methodological framework is based on structural-functional analysis, comparative assessment methods, and a risk-oriented approach to the study of interactions between government and society. Results. The research refines the structural composition of civil society institutions, identifies the mechanisms by which they influence public authority, and proposes a risk-oriented model to assess the impact of political polarisation on democratic equilibrium. It is demonstrated that civil society constitutes a crucial non-state actor within the system of checks and balances, ensuring the monitoring of governmental actions, the development of public expertise, the articulation of societal interests, and the correction of governance practices. The findings also show that political polarisation, despite the risks of fragmentation and diminished trust, creates additional incentives to strengthen independent media, fact-checking, and network-based forms of civic engagement. Conclusions. The effectiveness of democratic governance largely depends on the capacity of civil society to perform functions of oversight, expertise, and public accountability-even amid information and value-based conflicts. The results obtained may be used to improve policies of state-society interaction and to further explore the resilience of democratic institutions during periods of political polarisation.