Nineties-era mass-party models are being displaced by electorally focused, disciplined catch-all machines.

Evidence

While the UUP leader, Reg Empey, argued that the ‘contracts’ reduced the DUP candidates to mere ‘clones’ (BBC, 2007a), the DUP deputy leader, Peter Robinson, retorted that Empey’s comments showed that he had ‘little knowledge about running a political party’ and his efforts would be better spent ‘learning how to lead a modern political party’ (Robinson, undated b). The issue of ‘contracts’ is indicative of how the party has undertaken significant modernizing efforts in the 2000s, and according to one observer how it has been ‘evolving to become a more electorally focused and efficient party’ (Farrington, 2006, p. 180). — Cathy Gormley-Heenan and Roger Macginty, Ethnic Outbidding and Party…, 83

Categorization

• DEFINE: Illustrates what ‘modernization’ means operationally for a formerly ideological ethnic party — tightening leader control and electoral focus rather than loosening.

Related

• Sectarian outbidding parties can still adopt modern party organization (similarity 0.79)