Major Political Parties Research Articles

The United States and fragmented multilateralism: bookending a century of US ambivalence towards formal international organisations

This article examines the United States’ century-long ambivalence towards formal international governmental institutions from 1919, focusing on relations between the United States (US) and the United Nations (UN). The main factor explaining this ambivalence is contested partisan dynamics, personified in the presidency, that have produced a discernible pattern of dissonance between the two major political parties: Democratic presidents are generally supportive of formal international institutions such as the UN, Republican presidents are generally sceptical of them. However, the article contends that the partisan-presidential factor does not sufficiently explain the US-UN relationship. When seen through the lens of four other potential ­mediating factors – (1) UN secretaries-general, (2) US Permanent Representatives to the UN, (3) the US as host country and New York as host city, and (4) non-state actors that support the UN and US engagement with it – a more nuanced story emerges. Overall, the partisan political picture presented here does not offer grounds for optimism that the longstanding ambivalence the United States exhibits towards the United Nations will stabilise.

Semiotics and framing of Ukrainian refugees in Spanish political discourse: a linguistic and cognitive analysis

ABSTRACT This study analyzes how four major Spanish political parties use semiotic resources on Twitter to portray Ukrainian refugees, employing corpus linguistics and cognitive framing. Drawing on Saussure’s semiology, Van Dijk’s discourse theory, Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis, and Lakoff’s framing theory, we examine how words function as signs that frame ideological positions. Partido Popular (PP) emphasizes individual liberty and national identity, PSOE highlights diplomacy and humanitarianism, Unidas Podemos (UP) assigns blame to specific countries while showing solidarity with Ukraine, and VOX advocates strict refugee policies with an anti-communist stance. This detailed linguistic and semiotic analysis reveals how the parties’ language choices, informed by cognitive and semiotic frames, reflect underlying power structures and ideological biases, offering important insights into the dynamics of political discourse around refugees, and how language shapes public perception.

Gaining ultra-nationalists trust in post-conflict research: The case of divided Cyprus

This article addresses issues arising while conducting interviews that cross risky social and political boundaries. Drawing on the author's experiences interviewing representatives of the two major ultra-nationalist political parties in Cyprus for a case study, I discuss this type of research's intended and unintended implications and consequences by focusing on rapport, trust and risk. The case study illustrates how these factors became the most critical elements in conducting interviews with these radical groups. Lessons learned from this case study can serve as valuable methodological guides for future research in similar contexts.

Internal Democracy in Pakistani Religious Parties: A Comparative Analysis of Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam and Jamaat-e-Islami

Democratization is an important phenomenon in the contemporary world. An important feature of modern representative democracy is the emergence of political parties, as these are regarded indispensable for the successful working of democratic institutions. Democracy needs sound and democratic political parties. Democratic political parties ensure successful democracy in every democratic polity. Political parties are considered the lifeline of modern representative democracy and are critically significant in a democratic system. Internal Democracy plays a significant role in the democratization and institutionalization of political parties. The IPD is a broader term and is simply defined as “Rule by the party members”. Political parties must adopt and promote democratic culture in their ranks in order to encourage the participation of the masses in the political process. This research study was undertaken to investigate the concept of internal democracy in major religious political parties of Pakistan. This research work has also discussed the concept of internal democracy and its impacts on the overall quality of democracy in the country. It applies Michels’ (1911) “Iron law of oligarchy” theory to study the oligarchical and dynastical trends in political parties of Pakistan. Despite, the crucial role of political parties for strengthening democracy in the country, political parties continue to be termed as oligarchical and to be criticized on account of their internal practices. This research has primarily focused on the two major religious political parties of Pakistan including, JUI (F), and JI. This research study is qualitative. Moreover, this study is descriptive in character. The data is collected mainly through secondary sources. It has been found in this research work that, except for JI, the majority of political parties are not observing the principles of internal democracy. Political parties operate as family enterprises run by dynastical leadership and hereditary politics are in full swing in political parties of Pakistan. Political parties are highly centralized, and decisions are taken at a central level without involving the local chapters of the party.

Informing immigrant voters: Chinese-language media in New Zealand election campaigns, 2008–2020

ABSTRACT ‘Ethnic’ media have an important democratic role to play in informing immigrant voters about their choices at election time. Yet, ethnic media typically receive comparatively little attention in studies of electoral news coverage and factors influencing that coverage. Drawing on the case of New Zealand Chinese language media, this article advances understanding of how ethnic media carry out the democratic role of informing migrant voters during elections. Examining data across five election periods, we identify longitudinal trends in election coverage and consider two explanations for those trends: incumbency and the presence of ethnically Chinese candidates. We find a strong relationship between incumbency and the amount of coverage received by leaders and other candidates of major political parties, although the incumbency benefit is stronger for the centre-right than for the centre-left. The quantity and tone of coverage of leaders and candidates is, however, not systematically related to the number of co-ethnic candidates each party stands.

Analisis Kegagalan Strategi Kampanye Ridwan Kamil - Suswono dalam Pilkada 2024

The 2024 Jakarta Governor and Deputy Governor Election served as a critical stage for the Ridwan Kamil and Suswono duo, supported by major political parties through the Koalisi Indonesia Maju (KIM) Plus coalition. Despite broad political backing and leveraging communication strategies across social media, traditional media, and grassroots engagement, the pair failed to secure victory. This study examines their political communication strategies, including media utilization, public response, and challenges faced, such as negative perceptions due to past scandals, black campaigns, and local resistance to their identity. Using a qualitative descriptive approach based on desk reviews, the study finds that while Ridwan Kamil-Suswono managed to capture public attention with flagship programs like Kartu Jakarta Maju and Riverway, obstacles such as smear campaigns and misalignment with Jakarta's local culture were key factors in their defeat. The findings highlight the importance of synergy between political communication strategies, understanding local community characteristics, and effective image management in winning political contests.

The 2019 Provincial Elections in Newly Merged Districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: An Epoch-Making Commencement

The integration of tribal areas (FATA) of Pakistan with the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a significant development which has ultimately eradicated the twists and turns of the past and diverted the course of action from an unidentified destination to a specified one. The natives, their society, socio-cultural, economic, administrative and above all their political concerns has got a new direction in the aftermath of the said merger. The newly merged districts have recently been passed through a new experience of popular voting on 20th July 2019. Being a central component of democracy, elections provide opportunities of equal standing, progress, prosperity, political awareness, and socio-economic equality to the people. As an integral part of the process of democratization, electoral processes and political contestation provide a wide variety of choice to the citizens of a nation-state to choose their respective leading figures standing in the que of contestation. The present study, however, explores the significant aspects of this political dispensation on the one hand and addresses certain important questions on the other. It pinpoints the role of the major political parties, their programmes, political manifestoes and electoral campaign. The active participation of the tribal masses, the role of independent candidates and women across these districts, are the major areas of concern at the moment. It carefully deals with all these important characteristics of the provincial assembly elections recently held in the newly merged districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in the light of empirical evidences portrayed in the primary and secondary source materials.

An Understudy of the Political Competition between the Major Political Parties in the 2023 Governorship Election in Delta State, Nigeria Using Nash Equilibrium

This paper discussed the Nash Equilibrium relative to political competition in most political parties in Delta State. Emphasis was placed on the understudy of the political competition between major political parties in the 2023 Governorship Elections in Delta State using Nash Equilibrium. This work uses the Prisoner’s Dilemma-Non-Cooperative approach of games theory to extensively examine the political competition in parties using the Nash Equilibrium. The importance of a free, credible and transparent electioneering process devoid of violence cannot be over-emphasised as it guaranteesa smooth transition from one democratic dispensation to another. Data collection that aided this research work was sourced through interviews and from the website of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), the electoral arbiter tasked with the responsibility of conducting elections into various positions in Nigeria. This paper was developed to understudy the Political Competition Between Major Political Parties in the 2023 Governorship Election in Delta State Using Nash Equilibrium.

Electoral Failure of Political Islam: The Case of Jamaat-E-Islami in Bangladesh

This article investigates why the Jamaat-e-Islami of Bangladesh (JIB), the largest Islamist political party in South Asia, has been failing to achieve electoral success since 1991, despite their strong Islamist ideology. In fact, the party’s vote share has decreased from its highest point in 1991 to its lowest in 2008. The article, drafted before the recent dramatic political events in Bangladesh, argues that while JIB remains active, the scope for its success in electoral politics in Bangladesh remains questionable. The initial analysis proposes that the syncretic culture of Bangladesh, endorsed by moderate Sufis and the major political parties, together with JIB’s proto-religious objections to Bangladesh’s independence and their opposition to the state’s neoliberal direction, partly explains JIB’s lack of success in presenting a narrative that resonates with the voting public. The article also highlights the mistrust of the media, civil society and political elites towards JIB and identifies competition from other Islamist groups in the electoral arena. Recent developments in Bangladesh, though, raise questions to what extent any form of ‘Islamised’ political messages is actually a dominant matter of concern for elections in Bangladesh.

Democratization and political participation as indicators of political development in the KRI: the role of the two ruling political parties دیموکراتیزەکردن و بەشداریکردنی سیاسی وەک نیشاندەری گەشەسەندنی سیاسی لە هەرێمى کوردستان- عێراق: ڕۆڵی هەردوو پارتە سیاسییە دەسەڵاتدارەکە الديمقراطية والمشاركة السياسية كمؤشرات للتنمية السياسية في اقليم كوردستان - العراق: دور الحزبين السياسيين الحاكمين

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) was formed in 1992 following the first elections held in the Kurdish autonomous region geographically situated in northern Iraq, after the Kurdish uprising against the Baath Regime. Since its inception, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) has been ruled by two major political parties, specifically the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). There is a prevailing, but unsubstantiated impression among the general population, that the impact of these two political parties on the political development in KRI is predominantly negative rather than positive. The authors of this article intend to examine that claim by exploring the role of the two main political parties in the political development of the Kurdistan Region. In searching for an answer to this inquiry, the article starts with a conceptualization of political development and two of its indicators, namely democratization and political participation. Subsequently, a concise overview of the political context of the formation and development of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the political procedures in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) is provided. The authors conducted a questionnaire among KRI’s public university students to determine their perception of the role of two political parties in political development in the KRI. In the final section, the methodology is explained and the results of the survey are analyzed.

Pentecostals and Voting Behaviour in Ghana’s 2024 Presidential Elections

The 2024 general elections in Ghana will mark a historic moment in the Fourth Republic, as both major political parties will be led by a Christian and a Muslim for the first time. This development has sparked a debate among the populace regarding the influence of religion on the election outcome. According to the recent population census, the majority of Christians in Ghana identify as Pentecostals, suggesting that this group will significantly impact the selection of the next President. This research, employing a qualitative design and the social model of voting behaviour as its framework, aims to explore the relationship between religion and the voting habits of Pentecostals in the upcoming elections. The findings revealed a range of responses among participants. Among the formally educated respondents, many asserted that religion would not influence their voting decisions, emphasising the importance of policies instead. Conversely, others expressed a tendency to abstain from voting because their preferred parties are nominating candidates who do not align with their religious views.

Political Parties and Electoral Volatility: How (un)stable is the Albanian Electorate?

This paper offers an in-depth analysis of electoral volatility in Albania from 1991 to 2021, a transformative period from a communist regime to a democratic multi-party system. It diverges from Central and Eastern European trends by examining Albania's unique political dynamics and the factors influencing electoral behavior and volatility. Utilizing the Pedersen Index, the study methodically evaluates various determinants impacting party electoral volatility in Albania. The research underscores the significance of high membership rates and robust ground organization within major political parties as key contributors to low volatility levels in Albania's party system, thus providing insight into the intricacies and idiosyncrasies of Albania's political landscape.

Galamsey Saga Case Study; The Forensics Overlooked, International Intervention To Save The Ghanaian Sustainable Environment.

Using googles scholar search engine, the phrase “Galamsey activities in Ghana” gave average results of about 3,160 articles from the 19th century through to present. This tells us the scholarly work done on the galamsey and its menace. The breath and length of galamsey inherent attention, through research works. But it is ironic to say that because as of September 2024 the entire nation is crying for a state of emergency and seeking intervention to stop galamsey operation, but the government is silent. This case study research focuses on the key research areas concerning galamsey such as analytical chemical research, social and political to argue the work done using the narrative approach. From the case study it can be concluded that the scholars have done their part to showcase the dangers associated with galamsey such as high concentration of heavy metals in the waters bodies that is namely Mercury (Hg), Cyanide (CN), Cadmium (Cd), Arsenic (As), Lead Pb), Manganese (Mn), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn) and Iron (Fe) and degrading of soil, the land and health with air contamination concerns. Recent development from health services at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in the Ashanti region recorded deformities in babies born to parents living in galamsey environments which is due to heavy metal poisoning during pregnancy. Ghana Water Company which is the main water treating company in the country has failed to treat the polluted water due to over polluted water and breakdown of the water treating instruments. This is clear as treated tap waters from Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) have the same brown color (turbidity) as the polluted rivers. It finally concluded galamsey is still in operation due to political and legal imbalance from the major political parties in Ghana namely National Democratic Congress Party (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) including landowners or chiefs. This case study underscores this galamsey case to the entire nations in Africa and the world to investigate this matter, suggest routes and aid to sustain the Ghanaian sustainable environment.

Populism's Challenges to Political Parties and Democracy - Taking the United States as an Example

In recent years, with the rise of populism around the world, the traditional party system and democratic system have encountered very serious challenges. This article mainly takes the United States as an example to explore in depth how populism affects American political parties and democratic governance. First, the development history of populism in the United States since the 20th century is analyzed and introduced, focusing on the impact of Trumpism in American politics. Secondly, it mainly explores the impact of populism on the internal structure and policy orientation of the two major political parties, the Republican Party and the Democratic Party, and deeply explores the role of populism in splitting party unity and reshaping party ideology. In addition, it also focuses on the role of populism in democracy from both positive and negative aspects. Finally, this article examines the challenges of American populism to the development of American democratic systems and political parties, including challenges to the electoral process, judicial independence, media freedom and public trust. This article believes that strengthening civic education and promoting party reform can better cope with the impact of populism and enable the healthy development of the democratic system.

The politicization of education policies: The case of Ghana’s Free Senior High School Policy

While many scholars recognize and criticize the politicization of education policies, scholarly attention to the strategies politicians utilize to politicize educational policy discourses remains limited. Focusing on the officials of Ghana’s two major political parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), as policy actors, this paper investigates how officials of these two parties operationalized discussions regarding Ghana’s Free Senior High School Policy (FSHSP) to garner support for their parties while stoking resentment for their political opponents. The study employs a critical discourse analysis (CDA) framework and a dataset of 175 documents, including news stories, press releases, party manifestos, and government publications. The analysis reveals that both parties resorted to strategies of positive self-presentation and negative other presentation. The NPP contrasted its regime with the NDC’s tenure and framed the NDC as a threat to FSHSP and the education of the poor and vulnerable. The NDC problematized and highlighted implementation bottlenecks while framing the NPP and FSHSP as threats to quality education. I argue that through these strategies, NPP officials aimed to maintain incumbency while NDC officials advocated a regime change. The paper concludes by emphasizing the potential risks associated with politicizing education policies.

Politics and city growth in Italy: Do connections matter?

In this paper, I assess the existence of a political connection premium for Italian municipalities during the so-called “Second Republic” (1991–2011). The early 1990s witnessed a seminal event in Italian political history with the “Mani Pulite” (“Clean Hands”) investigation following the fall of the Berlin Wall. Subsequently, major political parties dissolved, culminating in a bipolar political landscape characterized by cyclical alternation between center-right and center-left factions (extending until at least 2011). Exploiting population data on small and medium-sized Italian municipalities between 1991 and 2011, I found that “politically connected” municipalities showed a population premium of about 2.5% compared to “non-politically connected” ones. The results are robust to NUTS-3 fixed effects, to a comprehensive set of controls, and to a full set of robustness checks. The relationship is confirmed using aggregate municipal income data as an additional proxy of local economic growth. Over and above this, social capital and the quality of local institutions seem to play a pivotal role in enabling the political connection. Election-related checks suggest the connection as two-way: using municipal data from the 2013 and 2018 general elections, I found that the treated municipalities depicted a higher turnout and fewer populist votes.

Urban Local Body in Mizoram: A Study and Analysis of The First Lunglei Municipal Council (LMC) Election

The present paper aims to examine the origins of the Urban Local Body (ULB) in the state of Mizoram. Furthermore, it highlights the significance of the development and electoral processes pertaining to the Urban Local Body (ULB) in the state. The research further examines a comparative analysis of voting behaviour in various rural local body elections and the first Lunglei Municipal Council (LMC) election. Additionally, the paper examines the electoral performance of major political parties in the first Lunglei Municipal Council (LMC) election.

External factors in democratic transition in Pakistan in 2008: an analysis of the US supporting role

The political history of Pakistan has seen ephemeral intervals of democratic rule while protracted periods of military rule. A landmark development happened when a peaceful democratic transition from the authoritarian rule of General Musharraf was held in 2008. The internal factors for this transition were an independent judiciary, vibrant media, civil society, and political consensus between major political parties. This article meticulously investigates the significant role of the US as an external factor in supporting the democratic transition in Pakistan in 2008. Data is collected from secondary sources like newspapers, journal articles, books, and websites. The US supported General Musharraf's regime as part of its war on terror strategy but also urged him publicly to restore democracy. The Bush administration encouraged negotiation between Benazir Bhutto and General Musharraf and supported a political reconciliation between them, which shaped the politics of Pakistan in a new direction. When General Musharraf adopted authoritarian means, the US pressured him to democratise by different means to reinforce its interest in counterterrorism. Under heavy pressure, General Musharraf resigned as army chief and lifted the state of emergency. Later, he resigned from the presidency to escape the humiliation of impeachment, and democracy was restored in Pakistan.

The Impact of Political Stability on Regional Economic Growth in India: A Comparative Study of State-Level Development

This study explores the intricate dynamics of Indian politics, focusing on the interplay between historical legacies, electoral processes, and socio-economic factors shaping contemporary governance. As the world's largest democracy, India offers a unique perspective on political evolution influenced by colonial history, diverse cultural contexts, and rapid economic changes. The analysis covers the historical foundations of India's political system, the impact of major political parties and leaders, and the role of elections in determining policy outcomes. Key areas of focus include the influence of caste and religion on voting behavior, the effects of political campaigns and media, and the evolution of political alliances. The study also addresses current challenges such as corruption, governance inefficiencies, and the impact of globalization on domestic politics. Findings indicate that while India's democratic institutions are resilient, significant disparities in political representation and governance persist, highlighting the need for reforms to enhance transparency and address socioeconomic divides. This examination provides valuable insights into the complexities of democratic governance in a diverse and rapidly evolving society. Additionally, the study underscores the role of regional politics and local governance structures in shaping national policies. It highlights how regional parties and state-level leaders influence broader political trends and contribute to the complexity of India's federal system. By incorporating these perspectives, the analysis offers a comprehensive understanding of how local and national forces interact, shaping the overall political landscape of India

Mobilising youth for elections: electoral inclusion of youth in Turkey under competitive authoritarianism

Scholars have paid scant attention to how state–society relations are shaped in contexts where democratic and authoritarian institutions co-exist under new forms of authoritarianism. Furthermore, the realm of youth citizenship in such regimes is a nascent area warranting deeper exploration. This study draws on the case of Turkey to address these gaps by investigating why political parties, which previously marginalised young voters, have fervently mobilised youth during elections that paradoxically coincided with the process of autocratisation. We employ a content analysis of party programmes, election manifestos, and social media campaign content of major political parties, as well as secondary sources on Turkish and youth politics spanning from 1983 to 2023, to address this puzzle. Our analysis unveils three key findings. Firstly, transformative events such as the Gezi Park Protests and digital activism have invigorated youth political involvement, compelling both government and opposition parties to prioritise youth electoral engagement. Secondly, the shift from a parliamentary to a presidential system has heightened political parties’ focus on securing the youth vote to win elections. Lastly, political parties strive to align youth political values with their own ideologies, and the process of election campaigning provides ample opportunities for such a goal.