Conclusion

Abstract

The examination of the 11 countries discussed in the previous chapters supports the claim, made in the Introduction, that there is a need to study the relationship between governments and their supporting parties in greater depth. That relationship is more complex and varied than is often assumed. There is in particular a strong case for exploring the impact of government on supporting parties, a matter which is less often examined. Interpreting the government as a purely executive tool in the hands of the parties is an oversimplification: the government is not merely a dependent variable. Governments enjoy a significant extent of autonomy vis-à-vis parties in many cases; they also exercise influence on the parties.