Operationalization of the institutionalization of political parties in modern comparative studies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31558/2519-2949.2025.2.1Keywords:
democracy, state, legislation, political institution, institutionalization, constitutionalization, party system, political party, political regime, political system, public actorsAbstract
The institution of a political party is a fundamental element of the political system of almost every country in the world, regardless of the political regime or the nature of power relations in the country. In political systems, parties play an important role in legitimizing political power, articulating interests, mobilizing voters, and reproducing the political elite. At the same time, the efficiency, stability and long-term viability of political parties are largely determined by the degree of their institutionalization. That is why this article attempts to understand the institutionalization of a political party as a key variable in comparative studies. The institutionalization of political parties is seen as a complex, multidimensional process that encompasses not only the formal consolidation of the party's organizational structure, but also the effectiveness of its functions, the ability to adapt to a dynamic political environment, and legitimacy in the eyes of society. This approach allows not only to assess the depth of political rooting of a party, but also to analyze its role as a stabilizing or destructive factor in the political system. The article argues that institutionalization can be viewed as a variable that acts both as a dependent (determined by political, social and institutional conditions) and independent (affecting political stability, voting behavior, legitimacy of the political regime, etc.) The study pays special attention to the characterization of the system of criteria and sub-criteria for the institutionalization of political parties, which can be used in a comparative analysis of both democratic and authoritarian political systems. These criteria include: regulatory and legal (compliance of the party's activities with the legislative field), structural and organizational (availability of a clear internal structure, decision-making procedures), functional (effectiveness of representative, mobilization and control functions), financial (transparency of funding sources, compliance with legal requirements), ideological (stability of ideological identity, availability of program documents). In addition, it is proposed to take into account additional criteria, including communication (interaction with voters and the media) and ethno-national (policy towards national minorities, participation in regional politics), religious, gender, etc.
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