A reflexive account of intra-party deliberation

This chapter discusses the importance of transforming political parties to overcome the current crises. To achieve this aim, a recent strand within normative democratic theory has suggested that political parties should adopt a form of intra-party deliberation. While acknowledging the merits of this proposal, this chapter argues that it conveys a participatory account of intra-party deliberation that does not empower party members or allow citizens to exercise democratic control. To avoid these shortcomings, the chapter develops a reflexive account of intra-party deliberation according to which all the party’s major decisions should be made through a process that meets the requirements of mutual acceptability, pluralism, and publicity. In contrast to the participatory model, this proposal can renew the internal organisation of political parties and transform the democratic process. This account does not concern marginal decisions but relates to choices that have a profound impact on the political process, and it imposes normative but realistic constraints on what parties can do.