The aim of the study is focusing on party leadership in the context of internal structure and principles determining activities of a party and consequently examining the selection process of the party leaders which is based on these principles. It is going to demonstrate how democracy within the parties was shaped.
Democratization of the procedures of the selection of party leaders and candidates is an observable phenomenon in stabilized democracies (LeDuc 2001; Rahat, Hazan 2001; Cross, Blais 2012). The impact of the formula of the elections and analysis of its consequences provide noteworthy cognizance about this issue (McSweeney 1999; Kenig 2009). Although the trend is apparent, the differences concerning party leadership in various countries and parties are perceptible (Bille 1997; Müller 1997; McCarty, Blake 1999; O’Neil, Stewart 2009).
One has to enumerate the following major research issues: formal status of the party leader in the structure of the party, conditions of applying for leadership as well as the course of the latest elections with an emphasis on their democratic character (transparency of principles, comprisal of the electing body, level of rivalry).
The analysis of these paramount issues which is based on the data from the 15 major parties existing since 1989, is going to determine the rules of the democracy within the party in the context of party leadership in Poland as an example of a new democracy.
