Minimum Standards for the Democratic Functioning of Political Parties

Added: February 7th, 2018

Integrity

‘Political parties that share a commitment to democratic stability and that accept the norm of political contestation can help to deepen common democratic foundations even while they pursue the more particular interests of the citizens and groups whom they represent. This document details some basic behavioral norms which characterize the actions of parties and their representatives. It also outlines a set of organizational issues that most democratic parties will want to address in their statutes. Because democratic political parties vary greatly in their aims as well as in their political settings, the norms and principles outlined below are not a simple checklist; parties that fail to meet particular details are not necessarily undemocratic, and parties that have democratic statutes may behave in undemocratic ways. However, the features outlined below are not just a normative wish list; they are also politically pragmatic goals.’

Keywords:

political parties, party finance, norms, transparency, accountability, principles, candidate selection