Institutionalization of transnationalizing political parties: the case of the Conservative People\u2019s Party of Estonia

Mari-Liis Jakobson,Tõnis Saarts,Leif Kalev

doi:10.1186/s40878-021-00241-5

Abstract

While party institutionalization research has advanced notably in the recent years, the institutionalization of political parties that extend their organizations abroad (i.e. transnationalizing parties) has remained an academically uncharted territory. This article draws on party institutionalization literature and analyses the particularities of institutionalization in transnationalizing parties. The findings suggest that transnational institutionalization takes place simultaneously on multiple levels (local, national and transnational) and is distinctly interactive, placing crucial importance on the activities and responsiveness of both the central party organization as well as the extraterritorial branches. The internal dimensions of institutionalization can be notably affected by the territorially and temporally scattered nature of emigrant communities and by the sense of inclusion provided to the activists. The external dimensions of transnational institutionalization involve a wider variety of actors than institutionalization on the national level and can also be more challenging due to the more contingent socialization patterns and interest in politics of transnational migrants. Transnational institutionalization of political parties is relevant to the parties and their continuous electoral success, but also for transnational migrant communities and impact of their political participation.

Highlights

As ever larger emigrant communities retain transnational ties with their homeland and a growing number of states facilitate extraterritorial voting (Lafleur, 2015; Turcu &Urbatsch, 2015), an increasing number of political parties are tempted to seek support from voters living abroad (Kernalegenn & van Haute, 2020)
(2021) 9:40 abroad (Gherghina & Soare, 2020; Østergaard-Nielsen & Ciornei, 2019) or campaign abroad (Paarlberg, 2019, 2020; Wilcock, 2018), this article aims to contribute an alternative approach to parties that engage external voters, namely, from the perspective of party institutionalization
Party institutionalization is the key feature behind the success and stability – or destabilization and demise – of political party organizations

Summary

Introduction

As ever larger emigrant communities retain transnational ties with their homeland and a growing number of states facilitate extraterritorial voting (Lafleur, 2015; Turcu &Urbatsch, 2015), an increasing number of political parties are tempted to seek support from voters living abroad (Kernalegenn & van Haute, 2020). In many ways, EKRE is a typical case (Seawright & Gerring 2008) for studying party institutionalization on a transnational level.

Objectives

Results

Conclusion