Expelling controversies: Questioning the legality and effectiveness of party expulsion procedures to resolve internal conflicts

Intra-party conflicts are a constant challenge for political parties, involving both personal and political aspects. Notably, expulsion procedures are initiated against members involved in these conflicts as a means of resolution. However, the question arises whether expulsion procedures are an effective approach to addressing internal conflicts. This paper aims to examine the practice and effectiveness of expulsion procedures as a mechanism for resolving intra-party conflicts. The study focuses on Germany, using a case study approach including three cases from different contexts of intra-party conflict in recent years: Max Otte and the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Boris Palmer and the Greens and Sahra Wagenknecht and the LEFT. Investigating the effectiveness of expulsion procedures is relevant because unresolved conflicts within political parties can have serious consequences, potentially even destabilising or dis-mantling the parties. Therefore, effective conflict resolution mechanisms are crucial to ensuring internal functioning and cohesion. This study critically assesses the usefulness of expulsion procedures in developing appropriate solutions and preventing long-term damage. It will show that, in many scenarios, expulsion procedures often fail to resolve internal conflicts and that conflicts involving larger groups, such as factions, tend to persist or intensify even after expulsion procedures have been initiated. This underscores the importance of establishing alternative mechanisms for conflict resolution.