Political Parties in Africa: Challenges for Sustained Multiparty

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Political Parties in Africa: Challenges for Sustained Multiparty Democracy particular the relationship between political party leaders and government on the one hand, and political parties and parliament on the other. Figure 5.1: Comparison of party and government structure, with parliament as a machinery of government connecting voters, political parties and government Parliament (as machineries of government) Majority party or coalitions (political executive) Minority party or parties led by minority leader/shadow cabinet Parliamentary constituencies (or districts) Members of parliament (ward, neighbourhood and polling levels) Party conference Party national committee (party chair) Constituency party committee Party agent or candidate VOTERS VOTERS Source: Adapted from Leiserson, A., Parties and Politics: An Institutional and Behavioural Approach (New York: Alfred Knopf, 1955), p. 210.
International Idea The institution of the party whip is at the heart of the business of how political parties influence members of government and parliamentary behaviour. The African whip system is inherited from the Westminster system, and whips therefore have an important role in party business within parliament, particularly when the voting strengths of the main parties are close. For important votes it is imperative for government and opposition to maximize MPs’ turnout, and the whips try to ensure that every member from their party turns out to vote. The duties of whips include: • keeping MPs and peers informed of forthcoming parliamentary business; • maintaining the party’s voting strength by ensuring that members attend important debates and support their party in parliamentary divisions; and • passing on to the party leadership the opinions of back-bench members. The term ‘whip’ also applies to the weekly (in the Westminster tradition) circular sent out by each chief whip to all his or her MPs notifying them of parliamentary business. The degree of importance of each item of business is indicated by the number of times the debate or division is underlined. Items underlined once are considered routine and attendance is optional. Those underlined twice are more important and attendance is required unless (in the British House of Commons, the lower house of Parliament) a ‘pair’ (a member of the opposition who also intends to be absent from the division) has been arranged. Items underlined three times are highly important and pairing is not normally allowed. Three-line whips are imposed on important occasions, such as second readings of significant bills and motions of no confidence. Failure by MPs to attend a vote with a three-line whip is usually seen as a rebellion against the party and may result in disciplinary action, such as suspension from the parliamentary party. Most countries that use the Westminster system have whip structures similar to those described for the British Parliament: the whips consist of the chief whip and, in the three main parties, the deputy chief whip and a varying number of junior whips. Each of the smaller opposition parties also normally has a whip. The government chief whip is directly answerable to the prime minister. S/he attends the Cabinet and makes the day-to-day arrangements for the government’s programme of business. The opposition chief whip receives advance notice of the government’s business programme each week, and no final decision is taken by the government until after consultation with him or her. The chief whips together constitute the ‘usual channels’, often referred to when the question of finding time for debating a particular issue is discussed. Party Structures and Internal Organization
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Political Parties in Africa: Challe
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Besides this report on political pa
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5. Party Structures and Internal Or
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0 Chapter 1 Methodology
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Mauritius Labour Party Mauritian Mi
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Chapter 2 Introduction
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Chapter 3 Context
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3.1 The internal context 3.1.1 Soci
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Acronyms and Abbreviations ACE Admi
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References and Select Bibliography
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Kadima, Denis, (ed.), The Politics
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—‘Building Political Parties: R
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About the Authors Per Nordlund is a
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