Political parties fill political offices and exercise political power

• Political Parties (C10)

Political parties fill political offices and exercise political power. But they do this by performing a series of important functions. Describe them.

Answer

a. Parties contest elections.

b. Parties put forward different policies and programmes and the voters choose from them.

c. Parties play a decisive role in making laws for a country.

d. Parties form and run governments.

e. Those parties that lose in the elections play the role of opposition to the parties in power, by voicing different views and criticising government for its failures or wrong policies.

f. Parties shape public opinion. They raise and highlight issues.