The Ties that Bind: Do Group Associations among Legislators Matter for Political Parties?. Issue 2 (4th March 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tunkis, Peter J.
• Is Part Of: Problems of post-communism. Volume 64:Issue 2(2017)
• Page Start: 79
• Page End: 93
• Publication Date: 2017-03-04
• Subjects: Post-communism -- Periodicals; Post-communism; Periodicals; 330.91717
• DOI: 10.1080/10758216.2016.1172237
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1075-8216

Abstract

Abstract : Despite strong political party unity found in new democracies, many of the party systems in post-Communist Central and Eastern Europe are 'quasi-institutionalized' at best. If political parties are comparatively weak, what labels or identities bind legislators together, and to what extent do these strengthen or undermine party loyalty? Using semi-structured interviews with Polish politicians, the East European Parliamentarian and Candidate Data (EAST PaC), the novel Members of Parliament Affiliations Data (MPAD) for Poland, and roll-call votes (1997–2007), I show that loyalty among MPs sharing nonpartisan group identities or characteristics is important to the foundation of party labels, and has a significant impact on party loyalty.