Superficially this should be interpreted as a positive development, but it may not be sufficient for democratic consolidation. It also is essential that the parties and coalitions construct identities and organizations, and that viable alternatives to the government be offered by the opposition. Responsible parties and a stable party system seem to be evolving in Poland, but they still have not crystallized. The lack of grass roots identification with parties is suggested by voter apathy and volatility. This relates to the parties' struggles to create ideologies, programs and organizations.
Parties also struggle to distinguish the issues which are salient to voters.
Yet, signs of democratic consolidation exist. Voter volatility has decreased while voter identification with parties has increased. Perhaps this is related to progress in party discipline and coalition cohesion. These are the phenomena which must be assessed to determine whether parties and coalitions are more than the alphabet soup of electoral cliques. This research examines the degree of party discipline and coalition cohesion within the 1993 Sejm.