How have political parties changed over time according to recent observations?

Political parties have evolved significantly over time, and recent observations indicate that they now demonstrate strong partisanship while becoming weaker organizationally. This phenomenon reflects a growing polarization within the political landscape, where party loyalty tends to supersede collaborative efforts and compromise between parties.

The strong partisanship denotes that party members often align closely with their party ideologies, contributing to a highly polarized atmosphere in politics today. This polarization can increase voter turnout among party loyalists but can also hinder legislative progress as compromise becomes more challenging.

At the same time, political parties have experienced a decline in their traditional organizational structure, including the influence of party machinery in mobilizing voters, fundraising, and candidate selection. The rise of social media and grassroots movements has shifted power dynamics, allowing individual candidates and interest groups to have more influence independently of the established party structures. This weakened organization does not imply that parties no longer play a crucial role in governance but indicates a transformation in how they operate and engage with the electorate.

In contrast, the other options depict inaccurate portrayals of political party evolution. The claim that political parties have become less factionalized overlooks the reality of internal divisions that still exist, as factions often represent varying ideologies within parties. Suggesting that parties have completely abolished internal