Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy

The importance of an election programme

The workshop brought together representatives of over 25 parties. The first day consisted of presentations on the importance of having a solid party programme or manifesto. Having an established party programme is the first step to develop a strong party image and reputation, thereby improving its trustworthiness.

Illustrating a case from practice, Dutch party D66 presented their experiences and lessons on developing an election programme. It showed that the basic steps, tips and potential pitfalls are applicable in any context. The key message was to:

1. Identify a party’s specific principles and continuously check against this as the manifesto develops;
2. Then decide on how to present your position on a certain topic in line with this identity.

Improving accountability

The reasoning behind the workshop was that once political parties have developed clear election programmes, it gives the population a better opportunity to compare and choose a party that matches best with their preference, and subsequently to hold parties accountable for their promises afterwards.

For many attending parties it was an eye-opener that the ideas and visions of a party will outlive a party leader or politician. It also confirmed the idea that the key of being a party is to remain true to the original principles and to present realistic policy proposals to voters. It was emphasized that even if a party is in opposition, there are still ways to get ideas and principles translated into policy.

Youth unemployment

The second day was a practical exercise in how to develop a programme with realistic policy pledges. The topic to use for this was chosen by the parties: youth unemployment. The parties discussed the best way to take up this issue in their election message and how to link it to their core identity. By emphasizing that there are many possible solutions to solve the same problem, it forced them to think creatively on how to address the problem of unemployment and how to ‘claim’ certain policy solutions. The challenge was to develop concrete election promises that are attainable in 4 years time, before the next elections.

The workshop was part of a broader project that supports Malian parties with policy analysis and development skills. The NIMD supported programme will offer continued support to assist parties in the development of their official election manifestos. The project will then publicize and distribute these official manifestos to the public in order for voters to be better informed and to make a fair comparison between the different parties in the 2012 elections.