Political parties form the target of particular criticism during general elections for not meeting their responsibility to provide information. Instead of presenting the electorate with differing political programs and answering questions on them, political parties are guilty of preparing phases that often originate on the desks of marketing professionals. Personalities are thrust into the media spotlight. Image in place of explanation - is one way of summarizing the criticism.

The question is to what degree is it legitimate for parties to submit to the rules governing the media during an election campaign and what is the minimum that can be expected of political parties during such a campaign to ensure that they perform their duties as set out in basic course 3.

Political parties do not always conduct election campaigns (...) as if they would actually take the term "responsible citizen" seriously. The eager inclination of political parties to realign themselves represents a constant temptation. They are often guilty of serving popular promises instead of pouring "pure wine".

Instead they often address underlying emotions. By commercializing election campaigns, using partially superficial headline phrases and generalizing on a large scale, political parties run the risk of creating general depoliticization. On the other hand, a negative election campaign weakens the necessary tolerance of democratic parties among each other. While fully understanding the desire of political parties to promote themselves as best they can during an election campaign, the necessity for fair play should not be cast aside. And on no account should fair play be taken as meaning support for a mentality shying away from confrontation. A change of government is a natural, legitimate and, indeed, necessary event (...) and is not a "changeover of power". The ability to accept this is one of democracy's most fundamental rules, regardless of which party individuals support.

[Uwe Backes/Eckhard Jesse, taken from: Informationen zur politischen Bildung 207, Parteiendemokratie, Bonn BpB 1997]

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Subjects:  Human Rights  I  Democracy  I  Parties  I  Examples  I  Europe  I  Globalisation  I  United Nations  I  Sustainability

Methods:    Teaching Politics    II    Peace Education    II    Methods