INTERNAL PARTY DEMOCRACY – PRECONDITION FOR INTRODUCING OPEN ELECTORAL LISTS

Abstract

The paper analyses very important aspects of the internal party
democracy and its connections with the electoral system, or, more
specifically, the influence of the internal party democratic processes on
the way how electoral lists are determined in a given country. The paper
first of all analyses the elements or the pillars on which the inner-party
democracy is based, and then explains the level of its influence on the
way of shaping the electoral lists. The reverse process is also analysed.
The paper is set upon a very important thesis, according to which the
will for increasing the influence of the personalisation in the electoral
process must take place parallel with the need of supporting transparency
and direct influence of the party members in the process of defining the
party bodies. This thesis is also expanded to cover the support that the
inner-party elections give to the overall party democratic processes. This
relation generates success for the process of party stability and
coherency, as some of the most important factors for providing efficient
and sustainable democracy in every country.