According to the party decline thesis, which of the following has weakened over time?

The party decline thesis suggests that voters' emotional and psychological attachment to political parties has diminished over time. This decline can be attributed to several societal changes, including increasing individualism, the rise of media and technology that allow for more diverse sources of information, and greater access to a variety of political viewpoints. As people become more independent in their political beliefs and less aligned with traditional party structures, the significance of party affiliation weakens. This leads to a more fragmented electorate where party loyalty is less of a driving factor in voting behavior and political engagement.

In contrast, the ideological diversity of parties, the effectiveness of party leadership, and the role of third parties might still hold certain levels of importance within the political landscape, but they do not directly address the core argument of the party decline thesis regarding voters’ emotional connections to party identification.