Explain any five functions of the ruling party.

Parties do so by performing a series of functions:

• Parties contest elections. In most democracies, elections are fought mainly among the candidates put up by political parties. Parties select their candidates in different ways.

• Parties put forward different policies and programmes and the voters choose from them.
  
• Parties play a decisive role in making laws for a country.

• Parties form and run governments.

• Those parties that lose in the elections play the role of opposition to the parties in power, by voicing different views and criticising government for its failures or wrong policies. Opposition parties also mobilise opposition to the government.

• Parties shape public opinion. They raise and highlight issues.

• Parties provide people access to government machinery and welfare schemes implemented by governments.