Political parties are essential for parliamentary democracy, the form of government that prevails in most European states. But how have parties adapted to modern society - not least a new layer of political decision-making in the EU? Should we talk of a crisis of party democracy? This book reports the findings of a comparative survey of parties in four Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland and Sweden, all EU member states; and Norway, which remains outside the Union. Using original data, it explores how power is exercised within party organisations and their respective parliamentary groups. Within an analytical framework that envisages a party as a series of delegation relationships, the book illuminates how leaders are chosen, how election candidates are selected, how manifestos are written - and how a party's various elements are co-ordinated. For all the challenges posed by multi-level governance, parties retain much of their capacity for making democracy work.
- ISBN10 1137315547
- ISBN13 9781137315540
- Publish Date 22 February 2013 (first published 1 January 2013)
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Palgrave Macmillan
- Format eBook
- Pages 264
- Language English