Leaders and members in the Italian parties (1994-2018): a dimensional approach

This article focuses on the evolution of the organizational profiles of Italian parties during the years of the so-called Second Republic. Most of the parties born at the beginning of the 1990s have undergone uncertain organizational development processes: in only a few cases has it been possible to observe organizational consolidation. Specifically, we will analyse how different parties have regulated the vertical distribution of power between organizational layers, by identifying possible tendencies in the regulation of the powers and prerogatives of the party leader and the membership. In line with the assumptions of the dimensional approach underpinning this research, we maintain that parties operating within the same institutional context do not necessarily tend to converge in terms of their organizational profiles. The study will focus on the organizational development of 11 parties, from 1994 to 2018: the analysis is primarily based on their official records.