Finding common ground: The delicate balance of political compromise in democracy

Abstract

Finding common ground: The delicate balance of political compromise in democracy Associate Professor of Political Communication, Mariken A.C.G. van der Velden, explores the complexities of political compromise, including its impact on political representation and citizen support. Political compromise plays a crucial role in representative democracies, especially in multiparty consensus democracies. In such systems, nearly all political decision-making is subject to compromise among political parties. Political theorists have long emphasised the significance of compromise for liberal democracy. They argue that compromise is essential because it reflects a pluralistic view on partisanship and acknowledges the legitimacy of competing political claims for the common good.