Abstract

The article highlights the basic scientific approaches to understanding the concept of "electoral party", identifies trends in the evolution of understanding of the term and the change of scientific paradigms in its interpretation. The authors conclude that the electoral party is a modern kind of party characterized by blurring the boundaries of the social base, the lack of a clear ideology and professionalization and personalization of its internal structure. The article reveals the historical evolution and formation of modern approaches to the interpretation of the "electoral party", identifies their varieties. The main subtypes of electoral parties include: electoral-professional parties, cartel parties, stratarchies, modern personnel parties, program parties, business firm parties, "big tent". Content analysis of the programs of the parliamentary parties in 2019, namely, "Sluga narodu", OPHZ, "Batkivshyna", "Golos" and "European Solidarity", using the formula of Hee Min Kim and Richard Fording, determined the ideological position of each of them. Authors conclude that most of 2019 parliamentary parties tend to be centrist and don’t have clear ideological position. Thus, it has been found that by most attributes, parliamentary parties in Ukraine can be classified as electoral, because by eroding the social base and trying to get support from the widest possible electoral circle, parliamentary parties lose their ideological attachment. It allows them to get maximum electoral resalt, but is counterproductive in terms of abuse of populism and inability to fulfill all program promises. The most conservative political forces include European Solidarity and the Voice. At the same time, it is the least liberal in terms of the ideological content of the OPZZ.