Families of Parties
According to Gallagher, Laver, and Mair in Chapter 6 of Representative Government in Modern Europe groups of political parties in Europe share considerable family resemblances. Some of these resemblances relate to "shared 'genetic' origins"--ie. parties that emerged as part of similar historic circumstances or representing similar interests. Some resemblances relate to the forged international links between similar parties-- ie., they communicate and interact with each other across boundaries due to their similarities. Some resemblances relate to the extent to which parties across national boundaries pursue similar policies. Broadly categorized, ten different families of parties can be grouped into two major categories:

The Parties of the Left
1) Social Democratic Parties

British Labour Party

2) Communist Parties

Communist Party of the USA

3) The New Left

4) Green Parties

Dutch Green Party
British Green Party


The Parties of the Center and Right

1) Christian Democratic Parties

Finnish Christian Democratic Party
Fine Gael of Ireland
The Swiss Evangelical Party
Czech Christian and Democratic Union
Christian Democratic Union of Germany


2) Secular Conservative Parties

British Conservative Party


3) Liberal Parties

Austrian Freedom Party
Bristish Liberal Democratic Party


4) Agrarian Parties

National Party of Australia

5) Far Right Parties


Others

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