Introduction: Political Parties and Deliberative Democracy in Europe

This paper is the introductory chapter of a book that answers the following three questions, which correspond to separate parts of the book: 1) How do party characteristics influence the use of deliberation by political parties? 2) Why does intra-party deliberation differ in its use and functioning across parties? and 3) How do politicians and party members see deliberation?  The main findings of this book provide five main findings that could serve as a foundation for future research and practice. First, deliberative democracy has entered the repertoire of political parties, both in rhetoric and in practice. Second, political parties need deliberation. Third, deliberation needs political parties. Fourth, deliberation is not bound to any particular ideology. Fifth, deliberation within parties is mainly a top-down process.