How can political parties improve their performance? How can improvements be monitored? This handbook, by the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (IMD), is the summary of an international workshop on criteria for improving the performance of political parties. It suggests that political parties are part of the problem of dissatisfaction with democracy but also part of the solution in terms of making the political system more responsive to the needs of the people.
All democracies require strong and well-established parties to channel the demands of their citizens, govern in the interests of public good and satisfy the basic needs of their societies. However, dissatisfaction with the performance of political parties seems to be growing. For a stable democracy, the different functions need to be carefully balanced. There should be greater focus on the process through which democracy is constructed (through participation, inclusiveness, tolerance and consensus building) than on competition and rivalry.
Political parties are not only competitors but also stakeholders in the political system. If political parties are to develop into meaningful and durable institutions, the following key issues should be understood:
- Institutionalised party systems tend to promote greater political stability and governmental effectiveness. Finding a balance between strength and flexibility in a party system is a challenge.
- Parties work better for a country when they are broad-based, limited in number and institutionalised. This discourages the growth of regional, local and separatist parties.
- Empowering people through democracy is a central element in the construction of a global civic culture. People must be able to decide, for themselves, how to organise their collective life and what future to choose.
- Today, political parties have to work harder at maintaining constructive linkages with civil society organisations, especially if they represent important social and economic interests.
- Since communication is a building-block of democracy, it is in the interest of all parties to allow for the well-functioning of a free press.
- Without a reasonable degree of dialogue and interaction between parties and civil society the values of pluralism and mutual respect cannot thrive.
Political parties should aim towards greater institutionalisation. This implies organisational strength, internal democracy, political identity, internal party unity and electioneering capacity.
- Parties should strive for inclusion and greater representation.
- Good record-keeping on party membership is a basis for information on social composition of political parties.
- Joint discussion, debate, celebration and commemoration should be encouraged between parties and CSOs.
- Political parties can use the Internet to strengthen their organisational capacity, to enhance their accountability and transparency to the electorate and to engage in dialogues with their rank and file.
- Civic education can empower citizens by providing them with knowledge for safeguarding the fundamental rights of citizens.
