Abstract

BELCHIOR, Ana Maria. Democracy in Portuguese political parties: an analysis of the parties’ electorates, manifests and rules. Sociologia, Problemas e Práticas [online]. 2008, n.58, pp.131-153. ISSN 0873-6529.

How far can greater adherence by political parties to democratic principles and procedures be interpreted ideologically? Will right-wing parties, in comparison to left-wing parties, particularly those of the New Left, give less support to those principles and procedures? The central aim of this article is to recognise the existence of ideological commitments underlying that adherence in Portuguese political parties. The conclusion reached is that, in contrast to what the cultural modernisation theoreticians proclaim, despite the fact that it is possible to acknowledge the Left’s greater adherence to those principles and procedures, not only is there no significant difference in comparison to right-wing parties, but also the party exhibiting greatest adherence belongs to the traditional Left (PS - Socialist Party), while the adherence of the New Left party (BE - Left-wing Block) is comparatively more limited.

Keywords : political parties; democracy; political participation; New Left.

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