Multiple streams approach and political parties: modernization of Czech Social Democracy

Our aim is to probe the applicability of multiple streams approach (MSA) on the case of the Czech Social Democratic Party modernization’s project (2006–2008), as well as to extend it to settings beyond the government. This case offers not only a different domain to test MSA, but also a good case of problem solving under conditions of crisis. We argue that it is possible to apply MSA to political parties because they represent the same kind of organizations as governments, i.e., organized anarchies. Applying the MSA framework helps us understand the organizational transformation of the party. We identified favorable essential elements of three streams that were coupled in two opportunity windows by a skillful policy entrepreneur, the party chair Paroubek. His designation to the party leadership opened the window for successful adoption and realization of the narrow modernization project focusing on the introduction of political marketing and managerial methods. The defeat in the 2006 elections unlocked the window for adoption of the broad modernization project, but ambiguity of the issue hindered implementation leading to a loss of attention by party decision makers, the main entrepreneur and the dominant vote-seeking orientation of the party.