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The term "party of power" refers to apolitical party that has a close relationship with theexecutive branch of government such that the party appears to function as an extension of the executive rather than as an autonomous political organization.[1][2] The concept resembles that of acartel party.[2] In apresidential republic, the party of power typically forms a legislative block that backs the executive. The concept has been commonly applied topost-Soviet political parties. Claims have been made[by whom?] thatUnited Russia, theNew Azerbaijan Party, Kazakhstan'sAmanat,[2] thePeople's Democratic Party of Tajikistan, theDemocratic Party of Turkmenistan[3] andGeorgian Dream (from 2013) are parties of power. Parties that have been considered as parties of power in the past include theUnion of Citizens of Georgia (until2003), theGeorgia's United National Movement (until 2013)[4] and theRepublican Party of Armenia (until 2018).
Parties of power are typically described[by whom?] as having a hierarchicaltop-down structure, being centralised, organised inclientelistic networks, lacking a defined or coherentideology and playing a subordinate role towards thebureaucracy.[5] They have been created by thestate as a method to assist in the political interests of the executive branch but while also being reliant on the state to manipulateelection outcomes.[6]
The use of the concept and of the term "party of power" has been criticized, including by those who claim that, strictly speaking, United Russia and Amanat do not possess or exercise power themselves. It is not the parties that make decisions and policies in the last resort. The term "parties of power" may therefore be regarded as misleading.[2][need quotation to verify]
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In theRussian language, the term "party of power" is used to describe the party which advocates the currenthead of state, the party which belongs to/is controlled by the current government or the party established by the current highest official in the state. The terms "ruling party" and "party of power" can be considered asantonyms, because a party of power will be established after a presidential election to support the winner and not the reverse. The party has the same ideology as thepresident orprime minister. A party which supports the current president without difficulty wins parliamentary elections. After the party leader loses a presidential election, a party of power without coherent ideology, as a rule, ceases to exist.[citation needed]
These parties were specially established for support of the incumbent president or prime minister in theRussian parliament:
Currentparties of power
Azerbaijan –New Azerbaijan Party[7]
Belarus –Belaya Rus (Registered as a political party in 2023)
Cambodia –Cambodian People's Party[8]
Egypt –Nation's Future Party
Georgia –Georgian Dream (Since 2013)
Kazakhstan –Amanat[7]
Russia –United Russia[7]
Singapore –People's Action Party[9]
Tajikistan –People's Democratic Party of Tajikistan[7]
Transnistria[a] –Obnovlenie (Since 2016)
Turkmenistan –Democratic Party of Turkmenistan[7]Formerparties of power
Armenia –Republican Party of Armenia (From 1999 to 2018).[7]
Artsakh[a] –Free Motherland andDemocratic Party of Artsakh (From 2005 to 2023)[10]Egypt –National Democratic Party (From 1978 to 2011)[11]
Georgia –Union of Citizens of Georgia (From 1995 to 2003)[7]Georgia –United National Movement (From 2003 to 2013)
Kyrgyzstan –Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (mid-1990s; noted to lack the meaningful organisation)[12]Kyrgyzstan –Union of Democratic Forces (From 2000 to 2003; noted to lack the meaningful organisation)[13]Kyrgyzstan –Forward Kyrgyzstan Party (From 2003 to 2005; noted to lack the meaningful organisation)[13]Kyrgyzstan –Ak Jol (From 2007 to 2010)[14][15]Kyrgyzstan –Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan/Birimdik (From 2010 to 2020)[16][17]
Montenegro –Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro (From 1990 to 2020)[18][19]
Pakistan –Convention Muslim League (From 1962 to 1969)Pakistan –Pakistan Muslim League (J) (From 1986 to 1988)Pakistan –Pakistan Muslim League (Q) (From 2002 to 2008)
South Ossetia[a] –Unity Party (2003 to 2011; disputed[20] but modeled after United Russia[21])
Ukraine –People's Democratic Party/For United Ukraine! andSocial Democratic Party of Ukraine (united) (From 1996 to 2004)[22][23]
Uzbekistan –People's Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (From 1991 to 2003; replaced by a more pluralist party system)[7]A central principle behind the party of power is a party's relationship with the state (Knoxet al., 2006). Parties of power have a close relationship with the executive branch which is seen to co-opt parties of power for their own political purposes (Hale, 2004). Thus, parties of power are an extension of the executive where the party 'is the actual group whose members wield power in and through the executive branch of government' (Oversloot and Verheul, 2006: 394).