Student handout 3.3: Establishing a political party

1. Draft agenda

1. Elect a chairperson, a spokesperson, a time manager, and two writers (see role instructions below).
2. Agree on the draft agenda – with or without alterations (majority vote).
3. What brought us together?
   • What is my top priority? Statement by every member, without discussion.
4. Defining the political profile of our party:
   • What is our political standpoint? Do we want to adopt one of the four basic standpoints? Or are we somewhere in between? Or must we define a new standpoint?
   • What are our main concerns? For example, do we care about certain groups in particular? Or do we define a key problem or issue? On what level do we operate – local, national, European, global?
   • What name do we give our party? What name expresses our profile best? (Display your name on your table or on the wall behind.)
5. Goals: what is our top priority? Do we have further goals?
6. Strategy: how do we win support?

• Who shares our goals – who shares our outlook?
• What are we willing to compromise on? Where do we “dig in”?

2. Role Instructions

Chairperson

In a democratic Community, organisations such as political parties must function like democratic micro-communities (see student handout 3.1). Your task is to make sure that procedure and human rights are observed during your meeting, for example that everyone has got a fair chance of expressing their opinion.

You are in charge of the agenda of the meeting. If the discussion becomes complicated because several issues are being addressed at the same time, you make the group aware of this and suggest which topic to deal with first.

Spokesperson and writers

You are the “publicity managers” who are responsible for the “product” that makes sense and that “sells” well – a name for your party, a statement on your goal or goals. Will other people be able to understand you easily? Will your appearance appeal to them?

You will present the party at a publicity event staged in lesson 3. Try to appeal to the students who have not yet joined a party, and try to win over members from other parties, particularly those dosest to you in outlook. Check with the teacher how much time you will be given.

The group should consider in what way the writers, and perhaps all party members, can add to the advertising, e.g. by creating a flyer or poster. Check with the teacher what materials are available, or supply them yourself.

Time manager

The chairperson is the “democracy manager”; you are the “efficiency manager”. Your task is to keep an eye on the time you spend during the meeting to protect your group from running out of time.

Tips: suggest a time frame to be added to the agenda before you start. Intervene if your group is beginning to run late and suggest how to adjust your plan. The group decides what to do, but you supply the options.