This chapter considers party strength, councillor affiliation, and the influence of local parties within European local government systems. Building on earlier comparative research, it explores the continuing salience of political parties in local governance and the unevenness of that salience across European nations. Where previous work summarised party influence through a single composite index, this chapter takes a more disaggregated approach, analysing distinct but connected indicators to capture a fuller picture of councillor-party relations. It examines party membership, the perceived influence of council party groups and local branches, levels of trust in political actors, the importance attached to implementing party programmes, and how councillors navigate tensions between party loyalty, voter preferences, and personal conviction. By exploring these interrelated dimensions, the chapter offers a more textured understanding of how party influence is experienced, interpreted, and at times resisted in local political life. The concluding section reflects on the persistence, variation, and evolving dynamics of party-councillor relationships across diverse systems.