Even though interest groups and political parties have differences, a political party can be referred to as an interest group.

Just as in a family where everyone is related and shares common characteristics, there are still notable differences between members. I myself am a twin and while my brother and I share many of the same characteristics, we are still very much unique in our own ways. The same can be said of the relationship between political parties and interest groups. While both play prominent roles in our government, they differ slightly in some key ways. These similarities and differences can be seen in three main areas:

Their purpose The internal politics of each group The method for accomplishing their goals