Political parties are the backbone of democracy in modern societies. They are organizations that aggregate the interests and resources behind policies. They gain power and authority by engaging in elections.
If political parties would only function according to what they were meant for, then all the citizens of this country stand to truly benefit from them.
What are they for, anyway?
Political parties are supposed to be the channels of communication between policy-makers and citizens. They should also take an active role in informing and educating the country’s citizens about politics so they could make informed choices. They should have a fair, democratic and reasonable process of selecting candidates for different public positions.
Political parties are crucial in turning the tide of public opinion, in the creation of laws and in public administration at all levels. They offer the population their plans to implement these changes.
A party must write a unique platform or vision of governance with a set of principles and strategies. This vision defines the ideological identity of that party; and members are expected to go by these principles and strategies as political parties offer the direction of government. Voters must be given a choice as to who must govern them based on what candidates and their parties stand for.
These parties must:
- have clear program orientation
- provide policy options for voters
- strictly follow internal democratic procedures
-organize activities for members and interested citizens even during off-election season
-hold elected representatives accountable in-between election and campaign periods
It is therefore important for political parties to be owned and controlled by their members.
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