While the popular view of political parties tends to be based on cynicism and an association with the “dirty” side of democracy, in fact they are essential for its proper functioning.
This is a belief held by a majority of citizens across the globe. Parties that are inclusive, policy-oriented, and staffed by competent professionals can act as the strongest constraint on executive overreach, serving as the ultimate accountability mechanism: electoral competition.
Political parties build and aggregate support among broad coalitions of citizens and interest groups. They integrate conflicting views and demands into coherent ideologies and manifestos, providing voters with choice of a range of leaders and policy programmes. Parties select and train legislative candidates and political leaders and, following elections, organise the business of government and formal opposition.
In between elections, political parties can build stronger relationships with voters and improve their internal capacity to develop policies ideas that address citizen needs.
WFD’s party assistance has strengthened scores of political parties over the last 25 years, from individual parties to party networks, both regionally and internationally.
We have supported political parties to develop and present platforms and policies with coherent ideology, respond to the challenges that societies face and voter priorities. WFD has worked with parties to adopt more inclusive practices; women, youth, and vulnerable groups such as minorities, the LGBT+ community, and persons with disabilities have become more empowered and their needs served as a result of the reforms our party partners have made.