This is a presentation I prepare for the Conference 'Democracy and Media in the Digital Era' organized by the 'Digital Enlightenment Forum' in Brussels, 11 November 2019.

1. Dr. Marc Esteve Del Valle
Assistant Professor, Center for Media and Journalism Studies
University of Groningen (The Netherlands)
Platform Politics:
Party Organization in
the Network Society

2. TRANSFORMATION OF MODERN
POLITICAL PARTIES
1. Weakening of traditional partisan
attachment (ideology)
2. Fall of party membership
3. Increase volatility of the electorate
Lioy, A., Esteve Del Valle, Marc., & Gottlieb, J. (2019). Platform politics: Party organization in the digital age. Information Polity, 24 (1), 41-58.

3. PARTY RESPONSES
THE ORGANIZATIONAL
RESPONSE
Stratarchy (Eldersveld, 1964):
different organizations within
the party are hierarchically
ranked, but can follow their
own logic, with a certain
degree of independence
THE TECHNOLOGICAL
RESPONSE
Development of internal
computer-mediated
communication networks
(Margetts, 2001)
Lioy, A., Esteve Del Valle, Marc., & Gottlieb, J. (2019). Platform politics: Party organization in the digital age. Information Polity, 24 (1), 41-58.

4. PLATFORM POLITICS
“The Introduction of digital intermediaries (e.g. software applications, websites, social networking services) into the
structure of political parties, to facilitate internal communication, engage in political decision-making, organize political
action, and transform the overall experience of participation in political parties” (Lioy et al., 2019, p. 45)
Lioy, A., Esteve Del Valle, Marc., & Gottlieb, J. (2019). Platform politics: Party organization in the digital age. Information Polity 24, (1), 41-58.

5. AN ORGANIZATIONAL MODEL OF
PARTY-BASED PLATFORM POLITICS
Lioy, A., Esteve Del Valle, Marc., & Gottlieb, J. (2019). Platform politics: Party organization in the digital age. Information Polity, 24 (1), 41-58.

6. POSITION OF PODEMOS, M5S, PSOE AND PD IN THE
ORGANISATIONAL MODEL OF PARTY-BASED PLATFORM
POLITICS
Lioy, A., Esteve Del Valle, Marc., & Gottlieb, J. (2019). Platform politics: Party organization in the digital age. Information Polity, 24 (1), 41-58.

7. CONCLUSIONS
General observations:
• Lack of internet proficiency (PD)
• Limited participation of the membership base in online votes (M5S)
• Centralization of the voting processes (Podemos)
• Technological challenges (PSOE)
Future research:
• Are online platform users different from ‘traditional’ activists?
• Are the party efforts to adopt platform politics rewarded with electoral success?
Lioy, A., Esteve Del Valle, Marc., & Gottlieb, J. (2019). Platform politics: Party organization in the digital age. Information Polity 24, (1), 41-58.

8. REFERENCES
Eldersveld, S. (1964). Political Parties: A Behavioural Analysis. Chicago, IL: Rand McNally.
Margetts, H. (2001). Cyber Parties. Paper prepared for ECPR Joint Sessions of Workshops, April 6–11, Grenoble, France.

9. CREDITS: This presentation template was created by Slidesgo, including
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Please keep this slide for attribution.
Does anyone have questions?
Dr. Marc Esteve Del Valle
m.esteve.del.valle@rug.nl
THANKS