Hopf bifurcation in multiparty political systems with time delay in switching

A model of a political system with three political parties and a group of nonaffiliated voters is considered. The model consists of four coupled ordinary differential equations in which members of the third party change allegiance and after a time delay become an active member of one of the other parties. Equilibrium and stability analysis are carried out. Taking the time delay as a bifurcation parameter, it is shown that a Hopf bifurcation can occur.