The Changing Role of Political Party Think Tanks in the Evolving Political Landscape: A Comparative Study of Vooruit and CD&V

In recent decades, the political landscape has changed profoundly. Characterized by the decline of traditional political parties and the emergence of new political parties, the role of Political Party Think Tanks (PPTTs) becomes a critical focal point for understanding the adaptability and survival strategies of these traditional parties. This paper investigates the impact of the changing political environment on the PPTTs of two longstanding Flemish political parties, the Social Democrats ‘Vooruit’ and Christian Democrats ‘CD&V’. The theoretical framework is based on the typology proposed by Vande Walle and de Lange (forthcoming) that defines four roles (Party Assistants, Party Supporters, Party Promotors and Party Intellectuals) of PPTTs based on two distinctions: the functions they perform and the audiences they target. This typology is instrumental to study the change in roles of PPTTs throughout the past three decades. To study this changing role, a qualitative approach is employed that integrates data from 11 interviews with current and former leading representatives of these PPTTs, supplemented by an analysis of the PPTTs’ publications, statutes, and websites. The findings reveal a transformative trajectory for both the PPTTs of Vooruit and CD&V, as they transition from roles as Party Supporters, primarily serving as think tanks with an internal focus, to assuming the mantle of Party Assistants, increasingly engaging in party functions with a focus on internal audiences.