Our second conference: a recap from Bratislava

The second annual CoREx conference was held at Comenius University in Bratislava from 20-21 May. This year’s gathering brought together over 80 researchers from more than 30 countries.

The conference focused on the evolving dynamics within the executive triangle across different national contexts. Participants presented comparative country reports across four working groups, exploring:

• Institutional arrangements underpinning the executive triangle

• Career patterns and trajectories

• Roles and interactions shaping the policymaking process

• Mechanisms of accountability and transparency
  

This year’s keynote address was delivered by Miroslav Beblavý, former Slovak state secretary and member of parliament, and currently Adjunct Professor at the Hertie School and Sciences Po. His talk, “Executive Triangle in a Highly Unstable Civil Service System: Reflections of a Practitioner,” offered a unique insider perspective on navigating executive politics in volatile institutional environments.

The conference also featured a presentation by the Core Group outlining their work to date on a policy brief regarding the setup and politicisation of the executive triangle.

A warm thank you to all participants for their active engagement, and to the Institute of Public Policy at Comenius University for their outstanding hospitality and support. The CoREx network continues to provide a vital platform for advancing the comparative study of executive governance in Europe.