ABSTRACT
Despite a sustained effort, international assistance to political parties has failed to make a significant impact on parties in Georgia and Ukraine: political parties in these countries have remained far removed from the type of stable, democratic, and representative organisation that is commonly aimed for by party assistance. This study argues that domestic constraints on the development of stable and democratic parties have invalidated the assistance effort to such an extent that the assistance has become highly ineffectual. A large degree of volatility in party politics, reflected primarily in a high turnover rate of parties, has rendered much of the assistance provided throughout the years futile. The less-than-democratic political context in Ukraine (until 2005) and in Georgia moreover produced political parties that were inherently unsuitable to receive party assistance, because essentially they were not interested in transforming into stable democratic parties. Since the domestic constraints on party development which have spoiled assistance to political parties in Georgia and Ukraine – weak party (system) institutionalisation and a less-than-democratic political context – are present in many countries where party assistance is provided today, there is reason for concern about the overall effectiveness of party assistance.
