Creating Parliamentary Government is an in-depth account of events in Bulgaria since the November 1989 bloodless coup that brought down the strongman dictatorship of Todor Zhivkov. Albert P. Melone shows that Bulgaria is a striking example of a state that is successful in creating and maintaining democratic institutions without fulfilling the so-called preconditions: a strong economy, a middle class, a competitive party system, and a civic culture. The heart of this book is Melone's lively interviews with many key players in Bulgaria's historic transition to democracy.