The German political parties play in the political life a part definitely more important than in other countries like France and Switzerland. The referendum does not exist at the federal level and almost not at the regional level and the great parties, stable since the Second world war, organize the political life.

Statute

The existence and the role of the German political parties are envisaged by article 21 of the Fundamental law of 1949. The same article provides that these parties will have “to respect the free and democratic structure of the Federal Republic of Germany”. This provision allows prohibition by the Bundesverfassungsgericht (constitutional court) of the political parties considered to be dangerous for the political system. This procedure was used in the years 1950 to prohibit KPD and SRP then without success in the years 2000 against NPD. The “anticonstitutional” movements ( Verfassungswidrig ), in particular the parties of extreme right-hand side and extreme left are the subject also of a monitoring by the Verfassungschutz but contrary to the other organizations, the political parties cannot be prohibited by the Minister of Interior Department.

Financing

Law on the financing of the political parties

The financing of the political parties is framed since 1967 by a particular legislation the Parteiengesetz . In addition to the gifts and contributions the German political parties receive an important financing on behalf of the State. To reach this financing a party must at least have collected 0,5% of the voices to a national election or 1% with an regional election. The amount of the subsidies is then calculated while being based on the number of voices obtained with the various elections and on the own resources available to the party. In all the case public finance must remain in lower part of an absolute limit, fixed in 2005 to 133 million euros per annum.

Accounting scandals

Like other countries of Europe, Germany was touched by several scandal linkeds with the financing of the political parties. Largest of the recent scandals is the business of the financing of the CDU of Helmut Kohl in the years 1990 ( CDU-Spendenaffäre ). The party had set up a system of financing of the electoral campaigns of candidates chosen by Kohl by using gifts secret (and thus illegal) on accounts of Swiss banks. The exact origin of the money is still not known. Following the scandal Helmut Kohl, Wolfgang Schäuble and Brigitte Baumeister (the trésorière of CDU) had to resign their functions within the party (a purely honorary station in the case of the former chancellor). After having exhausted all the ways of possible recourse CDU was finally condemned in 2004 by the Bundesverfassungsgericht to refund 21 million euro of public finance of the electoral campaigns irregular.

Political principal parties

The German Political system and in particular the system of the elections to the Bundestag (federal Parliament) led to the formation of two great governing parties (group CDU/CSU and the SPD) at side of which several less important parties remain which play a big role while taking part in the coalitions (in particular the FDP and Greens). There exist finally some small parts which obtain sometimes mandates in the regional Parliaments. These parties often defend a radical ideology (parties of extreme-right-hand side in particular) or represent a particular group (like GB/BHE) or a vote of protest. Lastly, PDS, become Die Linke in 2007, successor of SED, the sole party of GDR occupies a special place, represented with the Bundestag since the reunification but held with the variation of the capacity at the federal level by the other parties.

The election of the Bundestag to the Scrutin proportional plurinominal is mitigated by the “bar of the 5%” which prevents the smallest parties from taking part in the division of the seats and thus avoids the parcelling out of the Parliament. The election of half of the deputies to the majority Uninominal system with a turn however leaves a place to a personalized vote. Beside the two principal parties, exist various small parts which can be carrying a particular ideology (like the FDP or the Greens) or the interests of a restricted group (like GB/BHE and to a certain extent Linkspartei.PDS).

Parties represented at the Bundestag

• the Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands (CDU) is the great right party. Created after the Second world war around the ideas of the Christian Democrat defended by Konrad Adenauer he was regarded a long time as the dominant party of the German political life, SPD taking part in the government only when CDU was weakened by an internal crisis or an important failure.

• the Christlich-Soziale Union in Bayern (CSU) is during CDU in Bavaria, where this last party does not exist. Controlling the area without interruption since its creation, CSU is traditionally preserving as regards manners but was a long time carrying a certain social vision with regard to the economy.
• the Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD), re-creation of an existing party since the 19th century, is the great opposition party during the time following the creation of the the Federal Republic of Germany. Several times at the head of a government in the years 1970 it seems to have taken a new dimension after the reunification. Ideologically social democrat in the beginning it evolved gradually to the Social-liberalism.
• the Freie Demokratische Partei (FDP) is the liberal party German. If it obtains only seldom direct mandates, it on the other hand succeeded always in forming a parliamentary group with the Bundestag and was in the years 1960 and 1970 in position to make and demolish coalitions.
• Bündnis 90/Die Grünen was formed with the reunification by alliance between Die Grünen (Greens), left ecologist resulting from pacifist and antinuclear mobility the years 1970 and Bündnis 90 grouping from militants from the human rights in German Democratic republic. Faithful partner of the SPD in the years 1990, the German greens join however sometimes the right parties in local coalitions.
• Die Linke : fusion of PDS (successor of SED, the sole party of GDR) and of WASG. This new party, directed by Oskar Lafontaine and Lothar Bisky, positions on the left Greens and SPD. At the time of the legislative elections of 2005, it made a score of 25% in the Länder of the East and less than 5% in the West. Its congress founder proceeded on June 16th, 2007.

Parties represented in certain regional Parliaments

Beside the five parties represented with the Bundestag , which all are represented in several regional Parliaments, certain small parties have only some elected officials in one or the other of these Parliaments.

• the Südschleswigscher Wählerverband (SSW) is the party of the Danish and Friesian minority of the the Schleswig-Holstein. Exempted rule of the 5%, it sits at the regional Parliament. Contrary to the majority of the regional parties of Europe he asserts neither autonomy any more nor independence.

• DVU (extreme-right-hand side)

• NPD is smallest and most radical of the parties of extreme-right-hand side. In 2004, with the favor of an alliance with DVU it obtains 9,2% of the votes at the time of an regional election and enters to the Parliament of the Land of Saxony.

Other notable parties

• Die Republikaner (extreme-right-hand side)

• PRO (left Schill ex-judge, Hard Right)
• Wendische Volkspartei (which aspires to becoming the counterpart of the SSW for the minority Sorabe)
• Bayernpartei (Left Bavaria) (Party for independent Bavaria in Europe)

Electoral results

• CDU/CSU, SPD and FDP is presented to these elections since the beginning and always succeeded in being represented with the Bundestag .
• At the time of the first three federal elections, several other parties obtained seats at the Parliament. Since 1961, only the five listed parties succeeded in being represented with the Bundestag .
• the Vert party, created in the years 1970 is represented at the federal Parliament since 1983. Not succeeding in crossing the bar of 5% in 1990, it could not be maintained there between 1990 and 1994 qu ' with the favor of its alliance with the reciprocating motion of ex-GDR " Bündnis 90".
• the PDS, created with the reunification, until now always succeeded in obtaining seats (exempted rule of the 5% in 1990, exceeding this one in 1998 and 2005, its direct mandates all - obtained in East Berlin - enabled him to preserve a members of Parliament group in 1994. On the other hand, it made elect only two representatives in 2002).

References and sources

See too

• German Political system

• German Electoral system
• Political parties as a German Democratic republic
• Fundamental law

External bonds

• Cartography of the German principal parties in 2005