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Opening and Democratizing Pilar Parties? Internal reforms in Belgian political parties

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  • Emilie Van Haute
  • Jean-Benoît Pilet

Abstract

In most West European Democracies, parties have undertaken several internal changes. A common trend in these evolutions is the democratization of intra-party life through the empowerment of members in several respects (candidates and leaders selection, etc.). For pillar parties, these modifications have a peculiar signification as it could modify some of their core characteristics (oligarchy, overlapping membership and leadership, etc.). In that context, this article examines both the internal reforms in Belgian pillar parties and their impact. The three traditional Belgian party families linked to a pillar (Christian Democrats, Socialists and Liberals) have opened their membership procedures and democratized leaders and candidates selection. Though, the changes are more formal than effective. The internal reforms of Belgian pillar parties did not affect the core elements of this type of parties, which are elite control via oligarchy, and societal segmentation via overlapping membership and leadership.

Suggested Citation

  • Emilie Van Haute & Jean-Benoît Pilet, 2007. "Opening and Democratizing Pilar Parties? Internal reforms in Belgian political parties," Cahiers du CEVIPOL/Brussels Working papers 44258, Centre d'étude de la vie politique (CEVIPOL) of the Université Libre de Bruxelles.
  • Handle: RePEc:erp:cevipo:p0004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Steiner, Jürg, 1971. "The Principles of Majority and Proportionality," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 1(1), pages 63-70, January.
    2. Robert Harmel & Kenneth Janda, 1994. "An Integrated Theory of Party Goals and Party Change," Journal of Theoretical Politics, , vol. 6(3), pages 259-287, July.
    3. Whiteley, Paul F. & Seyd, Patrick, 1998. "The Dynamics of Party Activism in Britain: A Spiral of Demobilization?," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 28(1), pages 113-137, January.
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