The Impact of Europeanization on Internal Party Organizational Dynamics in Selected Post-Yugoslav Countries

Abstract

The Europeanization of political parties could be seen as a dual-track process. On the one hand, integration with the EU undoubtedly changes the environment in which parties operate. On the other, the second track facilitates transnational party cooperation (TPC). However, parties are still perceived as conservative organizations which try to resist change, and researchers generally agree that both of the tracks could lead to internal organizational changes in domestic groupings, but are divided on seeing its consequences. One group primarily focuses on the first of the specified tracks, arguing that Europeanization enhances the centralization of the decision-making process, strengthening the power of leaders and simultaneously the presidentialization of the party. Other, more optimistic researchers focusing on TPC consider that it fosters democratization of internal party procedures over time, or is even a crucial driving force behind it. The main aim of the paper is to detect and discuss evidence for the influence which the Europeanization process has already had on internal party structures and its leadership in domestic parties in selected post-Yugoslav countries.