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92 | THE PROFESSIONALISM OF POLITICAL COMMUNICATION

Perhaps the most realistic scenario lies between these two extremes. It is more likely
that professionalisation will neither kill existing parties nor give them unlimited
success. Instead, it is reasonable to think that the professionalisation process poses
considerable conflicts for the parties regarding their objectives: they can either become
more professionalised and accept the new conditions for campaigning and opinion
formation, or they can remain as a consolidating party organisation and balance
internal interests within the party. In the first case, they risk party unity and coherence
in politics.In the second case,voter support and political influence are in jeopardy.

This is probably why Swedish politicians and party officials have so far been afraid to
declare their use of modern communication practices. They have to try to maintain a
careful balance between the different interests of their parties. Everybody loves a
winner, but while the winning strategies remain largely unacceptable within the
domestic political culture, these modern practices sometimes have to be couched in
traditional rhetoric.

This probably explains why the Swedish Prime Minister appears to be keener on
counting smiles in the streets rather than looking at the percentages obtained in
opinion polls in his analysis of public opinion.

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