Négy dudás, négy csárda, egy kotta? A baloldal és a közép kispártjainak összehasonlító elemzése szervezeti felépítés és párttagság tekintetében
Four Pipers, Four Tavern, One Music Sheet? A Comparative Analysis of Organizational Structures and Party Membership of Centre-Left Minor Parties in Hungary

Summary/Abstract: There is a vast scholarship on political elites, voters and ideological positions of major Hungarian parties (Fidesz, MSZP or Jobbik), but we know relatively little about smaller, yet relevant opposition parties. This study undertakes to compare four leftist and liberal parties: LMP, Együtt, Párbeszéd and Momentum, based on their organizational build-up and membership, primarily relying on their party charters for conducting the analysis. The paper argues that this approach offers fresh insights concerning intra-party dynamics and political elites, revealing a few marked differences between parties that otherwise have a shared history of fielding joint candidates. A comparative analysis of party charters reveals important findings on the relationship between ideology and organizational structure. It also identifies inter-party variance with respect to elements of direct democracy and reliance on quotas for filling intraparty positions. Disconfirming one of its initial hypotheses, the paper finds that these parties employ a rather tiresome and selective procedure for accepting new members, limiting their ability to expand and grow in terms of membership. Results call for further scrutiny of competing power centers within parties' organizational structure, as well as central party elites’ socialization experiences leading to distinct institutional choices.

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