Money, organization and the state: The partial cartelization of party politics in Slovenia

A detailed analysis of party organization, party funding and voting behaviour in parliament in Slovenia indicates a partial cartelization of Slovene party politics. In line with the cartel thesis, parties in Slovenia are heavily dependent on the state for their finances and there is evidence that parties have used the resources of the state to limit competition. Nonetheless, there is much less evidence of cartelization in terms of party organization indicating more cartelization in the party system as a whole than within individual parties.

► Political parties in Slovenia are heavily dependent on the state for their finances.
► Parties have used the resources of the state to limit competition.
► There is much less evidence of cartelization in terms of party organization.
► We find more evidence of party system cartelization than within individual parties.