From branches to platforms? Digitalisation and centre–periphery relations in Italian political parties

This article examines how digitalisation is reshaping centre–periphery relations within Italian political parties. Drawing on 57 semi-structured interviews conducted across four parties – the Democratic Party, Brothers of Italy, Forza Italia and the League – it analyses three organisational dimensions: organisational coherence, local and regional influence, and territorial autonomy. The findings show that digitalisation does not have uniform effects. In most cases, it tends to strengthen the national centre by reinforcing top-down coordination, accelerating the circulation of directives and centralising control over key organisational resources. The Democratic Party is a partial exception, as digital tools also give local and regional party organisations greater scope to make their views heard. Overall, digitalisation reveals a general tendency towards centralisation, but through different patterns of organisational change rather than along a single, uniform trajectory.