Linkage in Multi-level Party Organizations: The Role(s) of Norwegian Regional Party Branches

The article explores the role of regional party branches in a unitary state: Norway. The regional (county) party secretaries' capability for implementing national organizational strategies is explored, and their roles in bottom-up and top-down intra-party communication are mapped. The study confirms the important role of the county level in Norwegian parties: county branches co-ordinate local branches, assist the national party headquarters, and deal with regional issues and regional attempts to influence national policies. The structure of Norwegian parties mirrors the state structure, but the regional level has a stronger position in the party organizations than in public administration.