Enhancing Democratic Expertise Through Intra-Party Deliberation

In contemporary democracies, the role of experts has emerged as a highly politicised and urgent topic, influencing effective governance and public trust. This debate extends into normative political theory, amid a shift towards technocratic power dynamics. This study offers a new perspective on the division of labour between experts and citizens, based on the representative model of democratic expertise. This model suggests that the relationship between experts and citizens should be mediated through institutions of political representation. A crucial aspect of democratic expertise, we argue, is embedded within political parties, provided they adhere to certain principles of intra-party deliberation. This paper outlines and defends such principles, proposing a two-tiered deliberative model. Initially, political proposals are crafted through deliberation among party leaders, advisers, and experts. Subsequently, these proposals undergo refinement and scrutiny by the party membership, ensuring broader consideration.