Political Parties and Democracy in Theoretical and Practical Perspectives

Drawing on published literature as well as practical party experiences, this paper provides comparative information for political parties seeking to improve how they develop policy proposals, translate them into government policies, and communicate their efforts to the public. It highlights common challenges, explores potential options for mitigating them, and provides recommendations for improving party policymaking. The first section of the paper examines various aspects of policy development, drawing upon party experiences in Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, France, India, Ireland, Mexico, Norway, the Philippines, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States and Zambia.