Whatever the values and aims which parties proclaim, what matters most is how they behave – how they deal with internal and external conflicts, and how responsibly they act towards the citizens they claim to represent. Such behavior not only determines a party’s contributions to strengthening democratic practices; it also can affect its success in becoming and remaining an influential political actor.
Respect for Human Rights
At the most fundamental level, all democratic parties benefit from, and should support, the rights that are guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
This is particularly true of rights to free association and free speech – rights which are crucial for the maintenance of democratic politics. Political parties should not try to advance the status of their own constituents by seeking to deprive other citizens of their basic constitutional or human rights (for instance, by advocating discrimination on the basis of gender, religion, or ethnicity).
Governing parties should not abuse their position by denying basic government services and protections to individuals or to minority groups that do not support the government. In some circumstances, democratic parties legitimately may endorse restrictions on the rights of parties which seek to undermine the democratic order. But they should do so only in the context of clear legal or constitutional rules about what constitutes impermissible speech or actions, and they should respect the decisions of appellate organizations (courts or other constitutionally designated regulatory bodies) as to whether such violations have occurred.
Respect for Legitimate Elections as the Basis of Government
Democratic political parties agree to accept the will of the people as expressed through legitimate elections as the basis for government.
They agree that the will of the people will be expressed through elections, not through the rule of the street. They also agree that it is possible for them to lose an election, and they behave accordingly in such circumstances. In return, democratic parties have a right to expect that elections will be run fairly, and that governing parties will not make excessive use of government resources to privilege the incumbents, or to stifle opposition. Parties should respect and accept electoral outcomes in elections that are considered to be generally fair.
Respect for Electoral Processes
Parties should respect the chosen electoral procedures, including voter registration laws, polling station regulations and vote certification processes.
Democratic political parties contest elections according to the rules and norms of the state, not engaging in illegal campaign activities, and not improperly undermining the campaigns of their competitors. They may and should encourage their own supporters to participate fully in all stages of the electoral process, but they should not seek to make it difficult for supporters of rival parties to do the same. Respecting electoral processes also means that they should abide by controversial electoral outcomes once legally-sanctioned appeals processes have been exhausted.
Democratic parties have a right to protest perceived violations of fair electoral procedures, but they should not lightly try to overthrow even an imperfect democratic system, nor should they resort to violence to try to overturn elections that are considered to be generally fair, even if somewhat flawed. They may and should press for those flaws to be remedied. But over the long-run, parties can strengthen democratic stability, and the fairness of electoral systems, by upholding the principle that the rules determine the outcome – and that this is true even when rules can and should be improved.
Respect for Other Parties and Free Competition
All democratic parties have a right to expect that they and their supporters may freely express their opinions; governing parties and state institutions have an obligation to protect these rights, and to safeguard the environment of free competition.
Political parties should demonstrate their commitment to democratic decisionmaking by showing respect for other parties and other interests in society. Parties, particularly those in government, should recognize that other parties and groups, as well as individual citizens, all have the right to peacefully challenge and oppose them. This means that however fiercely parties campaign, they will not question the rights of others to defend their interests and promote their principles, provided those opponents work within the recognized democratic framework.
It means that legislative parties will deal with all other elected representatives, and will recognize their mandates and their rights to take legislative seats. It means that governing parties will not use government resources or legislative authority in ways that make it impossible for other voices to be heard (for instance, by imposing media censorship). Parties may fervently disagree with each other, but at the very least they must tolerate their democratic opponents; of course, parties may even welcome most such disputes as being a key component of democratic politics.
Commitment to Non-Violence
Democratic parties in democratic systems reject the use of violence as a political tool.
Democratic parties should not advocate or resort to violence, maintain their own militias or use hate speech as a political tool. They should not seek to disrupt meetings of rival parties, nor should they hinder the free speech rights of those with opposing views. Parties which make a commitment to non-violence in politics have a right to expect the same from others, and that state authorities will protect them if this is not respected. In addition, they have the right to expect that their supporters will be able to assemble freely, that they will be able to communicate party views in non-violent ways, and that these opinions will not summarily be blocked from receiving proportionate media coverage, especially by the staterun media.
Communication of Principles, Policy Proposals and Accomplishments
Parties should communicate their principles, policy proposals and accomplishments with party members, party supporters, and with other citizens.
Legitimate political parties typically possess some measure of agreement over fundamental values and principles that bind people together. Successful parties generally also articulate a broader vision for society. They may spell out these principles in election platforms and party programs. Such documents can strengthen a party’s identity. But whether or not a party has a formal program, the communication of party principles, policy proposals and accomplishments is essential for helping citizens make informed electoral choices that are based on what parties and candidates stand for. Although mass media play a crucial role in this process, parties also bear responsibility for ensuring that citizens have access to the information they need. Parties and their leaders may communicate party messages through press releases and interviews with independent media, through party-controlled media (party newspapers, web pages), and through public or member-only meetings.
Encouraging Political Participation
Parties benefit themselves as well as the broader democratic society when they foster political participation.
Parties which hope to implement their views by winning democratic elections generally aim to mobilize public support. At a minimum, they will seek to ensure that their supporters vote on election days. But often they encourage deeper commitment by recruiting members, by seeking donations, and by engaging citizens in political discussions. Further, parties should not set up structural, political or other obstacles that prevent those who oppose their views from participating in political processes.
Efforts to cultivate participation by historically excluded or under-represented groups – including women and ethnic or other minorities – can often benefit parties by broadening their support. Simultaneously, they can enhance the legitimacy of the political system within which the parties compete.
Parties may be able to strengthen their overall support and their recruitment of political talent by actively cultivating participation among groups that are historically under-represented in the political realm. For instance, some parties may make special efforts to mobilize women, ethnic or religious minorities, or regional interests. Ways to encourage participation can range from exhortation from the top (a stated commitment to broaden participation), to the establishment of special sections within the party organization (groups for youth, women, etc.), to quotas or other formulas in candidate selection that privilege certain outcomes.
Parties may choose some or all of these mechanisms to help them broaden their support base. But whichever tools a party chooses, these are unlikely to have much impact unless there is a strong commitment throughout all levels of the party to expand participation by the targeted groups: commitments that exist on paper alone are unlikely to make much difference.
Governing Responsibly
Parties that win a mandate to govern alone or in colation should govern responsibly.
They have an obligation to their voters to try to realize at least some of the aims on which they campaigned. They have an obligation to the nation to balance these aims against other considerations of national welfare, and against the long- term stability of the democratic regime. Parties that lead executive or legislative institutions should act as stewards of these bodies, working to strengthen their effectiveness.
They should honor the fact that these institutions generally provide opportunities for opposition parties to articulate alternative viewpoints, guided in part by their awareness that in a democracy party majorities are likely to shift.