The Final Atage of the European Membership Party

Abstract

This article explores the term, state and future of the European membership party on the basis of the party change theories. By concentrating on the internal relationship between party members, elite and electorate, the article generates a qualitative definition of the membership party. The mass party, the catch-all party and the cartel party constitute the era of the membership party. The constant loss of the internal relevance of the membership makes the cartel party its final stage. Though it is too early to intone a swan song on the membership party, the typological follow-up is already spreading throughout Western Europe: the right wing populist parties.