Party systems:

What difference does the number and kind of parties make?

Stereotypes

Multiparty systems are inherently unstable:

• The more parties you have the greater likelihood that either – Cabinets will be short-lived

Or– Regimes themselves will be susceptible to

collapse (regime instability) instability

Problem: is this valid?

Available evidence suggests that is not:

• The governments and regimes of most countries with multiparty systems are relatively stable

• But some countries have not

• Problem: what accounts for the difference?

Polarized pluralism

• Moderate v. polarized pluralism (Sartori)• Historically, certain countries with a large

number of parties have suffered from chronic cabinet and sometimes regime instability:– Weimar Germany (1918-33)– 3rd Republic France (1875-1940)– Spain, 2nd Republic, 1931-1936– 4th Republic France (1946-1958)– Italy, 1rst Republic (1945-1993)

Explanations

• All had not only a large number of parties, but were sharply polarized as well

• Three of these had rather fluid, poorly disciplined parties– Spain, 2nd Republic– France, 3rd and 4th Republics

• Only two, Weimar Germany and 2nd Rep Spain suffered regime collapse

• Many Italian specialists doubt that Italy, despite frequent cabinet changes, was unstable

Explaining stability

• Depends on more than number of parties

• Countries with multiparty systems find ways to cope:– Duty of heads of state (presidents or

monarchs) to ensure that there is a government

– Formal procedures– Use of formateurs and informateurs:

Forming governments

• Sweden and Scandinavia – role of parties themselves

• Germany

• Getting a government in the Netherlands– Role of the monarch– Informateurs– Formateurs

• Getting a government in Belgium…

The Federal Republic of Germany

1957-1983: SPD FPD CDU/CSU _______________________________ 1983-1989: G SPD FDP CDU/CSU _______________________________1990-present PDS G SPD CDU/CSU FDP__________________________________

Sweden

pre-1990:

Left SD Centre Liberal Conservative

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From the 1990s:

Left SD Centre Lib Cons New Democ.

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Netherlands:

Pre-2000

SP GL PvdA D66 CDA VVD CU SGP

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Netherlands: from 2002

2002

SP GL PvdA D66 CDA VVD LPF CU SGP

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2008

PvdD SP GL PvdA D66 CDA VVD TON PVV CU SGP

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