ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the main implications of the analysis carried out in the preceding chapters of this book for the study of party systems in new democracies. It highlights the main findings and contributions of the book, addressing each question. The data analyzed confirmed that party systems in most countries face important dilemmas for institutionalization in the form of inadequate or overinstitutionalization. The chapter looks at African party systems from a comparative perspective. Drawing on a rich sample of studies that have analyzed the sources of party system stability/institutionalization in Latin America, Asia and post-communist Europe, it assesses the extent to which African party systems converge or diverge from the trends observed in these regions. Regarding party laws, Cape Verde adopted a quite prescriptive and protective law that imposes many requirements for party formation. The chapter proposes new lines of inquiry for the advance of this field of studies.
