The Role of Political Parties in Shaping Public Policy: Case Studies from Around the World

Abstract

The influence of political parties on national policymaking is nuanced and complicated, and it differs greatly among nations. You can see this in action by looking at case studies from all across the globe; they all shed light on how political parties impact policymaking in their own unique ways. Ideologies, party platforms, voting procedures, and the larger political environment are often brought to light in these case studies. Constant wrangling and compromising ensues as a result of the parties' divergent policy viewpoints and their competition for control of government institutions. In a similar vein, the British parliamentary system and the two main parties, the Conservatives and the Labour, are always at odds over who gets to decide what policies will be prioritised and passed into law. Coalition governments are prevalent in nations such as Germany that have a multi-party system. Policies in this area tend to be more moderate and consensus-driven since political parties are forced to work together to reach an agreement on policy. Concerning social justice and the welfare state, social democratic parties in Scandinavia have been pivotal in formulating policy. Even if political parties do exist under authoritarian regimes, they are much less powerful than the governing party or the central authority when it comes to influencing public policy.