Freedom of speech within political parties

Abstract The expulsion of party members for the expression dissent is a common practice in democratic states around world, which can have momentous consequences individual parties and political system at large. In this article, we address question whether limitations on members’ free speech be defended normative grounds. Drawing conception that sees them as broader membership organisations allow citizens to exercise agency unique fashion, well insights from normative-theoretical literature organisations, build strong presumptive case interference with freedoms normatively problematic. Exploring numerous weighty arguments favour limiting freedom within parties, find none provides knock-down argument against our case. advance has important implications contemporary theoretical debates about partisanship, regulation parties’ internal affairs more generally.