The classification and importance of political parties in South Sudan
By Tito Tong John, Nairobi, Kenya
Sunday, 06 August 2023 (PW) — The purpose of this article is to give some enlightenment about what a political party is: “a free association of individuals, one of the aims of which is to express the political will of the people by seeking to participate in and influence the governing of the public life of a country, through the presentation of candidates in elections”.
Political parties are a subcategory of the broader class of associations, some of which seek to participate in and influence the governing of the public life of a country by supporting the candidates of one or more political parties, lobbying government officials, and engaging in campaigns in support of preferred policy positions.
Political parties are distinguished from the broader category of politically interested associations by their aspiration to themselves present candidates for public office, whether at the national or State level. Because their aspirations and behaviour distinguish them, it is not necessary that a political party identify itself as such.
Because political parties are distinguished from other associations that may undertake advocacy or political activities primarily by intent or aspiration to present candidates, and because states have a large margin of appreciation, based on their electoral systems and particular circumstances, to establish criteria for being able to present candidates, a narrower category of officially recognized political parties can be further distinguished.
Official recognition can be achieved through application or petition, resulting in the association’s inclusion on an official party register or by performing specified acts such as presenting candidates at elections without a formal registration process. Officially recognized parties may be given special governmental or electoral privileges.
Within the officially recognised political parties’ category, some states further distinguish between significant parties, identified based on their strength, for example, percentage of the vote in prior elections, representation in parliament, percentage of parliamentary seats contested, and other or minor parties. Major parties may be subject to more stringent regulations and given additional privileges than minor parties.
Unless otherwise specified, the term “party” or “political party” in this article refers to the broad category defined regardless of whether the association is officially recognised as a party. Politically interested associations, and political parties as a subcategory of politically interested associations, are mechanisms for exercising individuals’ fundamental rights of association and expression. As collectivities or organisations, politically interested organisations and political parties are also bearers of these rights.
Political parties are additional platforms for the exercise of individuals’ fundamental right to elect and be elected. They have been recognised as integration players in the democratic process. Although their position and legitimacy in society have been weakened in recent years in various states, they are still the most widely utilised vehicles for political participation and the exercise of related rights. Until now, no workable and legitimate alternative has developed.
Political parties are still of primary importance in ensuring the representation of various societal groups, including minorities, in political debate. They, therefore, continue to constitute an especially important basis for a pluralist political society and play an active role in ensuring an informed and participative citizenry.
Additionally, political parties provide an organisational mechanism to facilitate coordination between officials in the executive and legislative branches of government and can effectively prioritise specific issues on the legislative and political agendas within a system of government.
In conclusion, political parties contribute to performing at least three vital functions in a democracy. First, they facilitate individuals’ cooperation and coordination in exercising their fundamental rights of association and expression. Second, they further the cooperation and coordination among public office holders, both within parliaments and across levels and institutions of government, thus facilitating coherence and effective policymaking and implementation.
Third, they provide a means to connect citizens’ organizations to officeholders by formulating political programs through which voters can choose the nomination and support of candidates in elections and by taking collective responsibility for government in a way that would be impossible for officeholders individually.
Particularly in parliamentary systems, parties and their leaders, either in parliament or extra-parliamentary settings, negotiate with one another to form coalitions, determine coalition policy and agree on the individuals who will occupy ministerial offices. To appropriately support democracy, regulation of political parties may address and support each of these functions and should limit the potential for their abuse.
Tito Tong, the author, has a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. He is pursuing a Master of Business Administration with a specialisation in Human Resources at the same institution. Before this, he worked with various radio institutions under the Catholic Radio Network in South Sudan. He now writes opinion pieces for the Dawn News Paper regularly. To contact him, you can reach him at his email address: tongkhamisa446@gmail.com.
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