List of political parties in Germany
Politics of Germany |
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This is a list of political parties in Germany.
The Federal Republic of Germany has a plural multi-party system. The largest by members and parliament seats are the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), with its sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU) and Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD).
Germany also has a number of other parties, in recent history most importantly the Free Democratic Party (FDP), Alliance 90/The Greens, The Left, and more recently the Alternative for Germany (AfD), founded in 2013. The federal government of Germany often consisted of a coalition of a major and a minor party, specifically CDU/CSU and FDP or SPD and FDP, and from 1998 to 2005 SPD and Greens. From 1966 to 1969, from 2005 to 2009 and from 2013 to 2021, the federal government consisted of a coalition of the two major parties, called Grand Coalition.[1] Coalitions in the Bundestag and state legislatures are often described by party colors. Party colors are red for the Social Democratic Party, green for Alliance 90/The Greens, yellow for the Free Democratic Party, purple (officially red, which is customarily used for the SPD) for the Left, light blue for the AfD, and black and blue for the CDU and CSU respectively.[2][3]
Current parties[]
Parties represented in the Bundestag and/or the European Parliament[]
| Name | Abbr. | Leader | Ideology | MdBs | MEPs | Political position | EP group | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Social Democratic Party of Germany Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands |
SPD | Lars Klingbeil, Saskia Esken |
Social democracy[4] | 206 / 735
|
16 / 96
|
Centre-left | S&D | ||
 Union |
|
Christian Democratic Union of Germany Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands |
CDU | Friedrich Merz | Christian democracy[4] Liberal conservatism[4] |
151 / 735
|
23 / 96
|
Centre-right[5] | EPP | |
|
Christian Social Union in Bavaria Christlich-Soziale Union in Bayern |
CSU | Markus Söder | Christian democracy[4] Conservatism[4] |
45 / 735
|
6 / 96
|
Centre-right[6][7][8] | EPP | ||
|
Alliance 90/The Greens Bündnis 90/Die Grünen |
GRÜNE | Annalena Baerbock, Robert Habeck |
Green politics[4] | 118 / 735
|
21 / 96
|
Centre-left | Greens/EFA | ||
|
Free Democratic Party Freie Demokratische Partei |
FDP | Christian Lindner | Liberalism[4] Classical liberalism[9][10] |
92 / 735
|
5 / 96
|
Centre to centre-right | RE | ||
|
Alternative for Germany Alternative für Deutschland |
AfD | Jörg Meuthen, Tino Chrupalla |
German nationalism[11][12] Right-wing populism[13] Euroscepticism[14][15] |
83 / 735
|
11 / 96
|
Right-wing to far-right | ID | ||
|
The Left Die Linke |
LINKE | Janine Wissler, Susanne Hennig-Wellsow |
Democratic socialism[4] Left-wing populism |
39 / 735
|
7 / 96
|
Left-wing[16] | GUE/NGL | ||
|
South Schleswig Voters' Association[B] Südschleswigscher Wählerverband |
SSW | Regionalism Ethnic minority politics Social liberalism[17] |
1 / 735
|
0 / 96
|
Centre | Greens/EFA | |||
|
German Centre-Party Deutsche Zentrumspartei |
ZENTRUM | Political Catholicism Christian democracy Social conservatism |
1 / 735
|
0 / 96
|
Centre-right | none | |||
|
Die PARTEI Partei für Arbeit, Rechtsstaat, Tierschutz, Elitenförderung und basisdemokratische Initiative |
Die PARTEI | Martin Sonneborn | Satire | 0 / 735
|
1 / 96
|
Apolitical | None | ||
|
Free Voters Freie Wähler |
FW | Hubert Aiwanger | Liberal conservatism[18] Regionalism |
0 / 735
|
2 / 96
|
Centre-right | RE | ||
|
Ecological Democratic Party Ökologisch-Demokratische Partei |
ÖDP | Green conservatism[19] | 0 / 735
|
1 / 96
|
Centre-right | Greens/EFA | |||
|
Volt Germany Volt Deutschland |
Volt | Paul Loeper Friederike Schier |
European federalism | 0 / 735
|
1 / 96
|
Centre to centre-left | Greens/EFA | ||
|
Pirate Party Germany Piratenpartei Deutschland |
PIRATEN | Pirate politics Social liberalism[20] |
0 / 735
|
1 / 96
|
Syncretic | Greens/EFA | |||
|
Family Party of Germany Familien-Partei Deutschlands |
Familie | Social conservatism Christian democracy |
0 / 735
|
1 / 96
|
Centre-right to right-wing | ECR | |||
|
Liberal Conservative Reformers Liberal-konservative Reformer |
LKR | Liberal conservatism Economic liberalism Soft Euroscepticism |
0 / 735
|
1 / 96
|
Centre-right to right-wing | ECR | |||
| A The CDU and CSU form the CDU/CSU group in the Bundestag; CSU runs only in Bavaria, CDU elsewhere. B Represents the Danish and Frisian minorities. As a party representing ethnic minorities, it is not subject to the general requirement of passing a 5% vote threshold. | ||||||||||
Other parties represented in state parliaments[]
| Logo | Name | Abbr. | Leader | Ideology | Elected in state (Seats) | Position | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Citizens in Rage Bürger in Wut |
BIW | Right-wing populism | Bremen (1) | Right-wing | |||
|
Brandenburg United Civic Movements/Free Voters Brandenburger Vereinigte Bürgerbewegungen / Freie Wähler |
BVB / FW | Regionalism | Brandenburg (3) | ||||
Minor parties[]
| Logo | Name | Abbr. | Leader | Ideology | Political position | EP-group | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aktion Partei für Tierschutz |
Tierschutz hier! | ||||||
|
Alliance C – Christians for Germany Bündnis C – Christen für Deutschland |
Bündnis C | & | Conservatism Christian fundamentalism |
Right-wing | ECPM | |
|
Alliance for Innovation and Justice Bündnis für Innovation und Gerechtigkeit |
BIG | Political Islam | ||||
| Alliance for Human Rights, Animal and Nature Protection Allianz für Menschenrechte, Tier- und Naturschutz |
Tierschutzallianz | ||||||
|
Alliance of German Democrats Allianz Deutscher Demokraten |
AD-Demokraten | Conservatism Political Islam |
||||
|
Anarchist Pogo Party of Germany Anarchistische Pogo-Partei Deutschlands |
APPD | Satire | Apoliticism | none | ||
| [21] Arminus – Bund des deutschen Volkes |
Arminus – Bund | Russlanddeutsche interests German nationalism |
Far-right[21] | ||||
|
Basic Income Alliance Bündnis Grundeinkommen |
BGE | Universal basic income | Single-issue | none | ||
|
Bavaria Party Bayernpartei |
BP | Autonomism Bavarian nationalism Regionalism Conservatism |
Centre-right | EFA | ||
|
Bergpartei, die "ÜberPartei" Bergpartei, die Überpartei |
B* | Rico Tscharntke | Post-left anarchy Dadaism |
Far-left | none | |
| Civil Rights Movement Solidarity Bürgerrechtsbewegung Solidarität |
BüSo | Helga Zepp-LaRouche | LaRouche movement Conspiracism |
Syncretic | none | ||
|
Communist Party of Germany Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands |
KPD | Communism Marxism–Leninism Anti-Revisionism Stalinism |
Far-left | none | ||
|
Democracy in Motion Demokratie in Bewegung |
DiB | , | Left-wing | none | ||
|
Feminist Party of Germany Feministische Partei Die Frauen |
DIE FRAUEN | Feminism | none | |||
|
Ab jetzt … Demokratie durch Volksabstimmung |
Volksabstimmung | Direct Democracy | Right-wing | none | ||
|
German Communist Party Deutsche Kommunistische Partei |
DKP | Patrik Köbele | Communism Marxism–Leninism |
Far-left | none | |
|
German Social Union Deutsche Soziale Union |
DSU | National conservatism Social conservatism |
Right-wing | none | ||
|
Liberal Democrats – The Social Liberals Liberale Demokraten – Die Sozialliberalen |
LD | Social liberalism Progressivism |
Centre-left | none | ||
|
Lusatian Alliance Lausitzer Allianz / Łužiska Alianca / Łužyska Alianca |
Regionalism Progressivism Ethnic minority interests |
none | ||||
|
Marxist–Leninist Party of Germany Marxistisch-Leninistische Partei Deutschlands |
MLPD | Marxism–Leninism Anti-Revisionism Communism |
Far-left | none | ||
Achtsame Demokraten |
Die Achtsamen | ||||||
|
mut mut |
mut | Claudia Stamm | Social liberalism | Centre-left | none | |
|
National Democratic Party of Germany Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands |
NPD | Frank Franz | Neo-Nazism Ultranationalism Pan-Germanism Anti-immigration Revanchism |
Far-right[19] | APF | |
|
Party for Franconia Partei für Franken |
DIE FRANKEN | Social democracy Regionalism |
none | |||
|
Party of Humanists Partei der Humanisten |
Die Humanisten | Humanism Secularism Civil libertarianism Social liberalism |
none | |||
| Party of Reason Partei der Vernunft |
PDV | Libertarianism | EPIL | ||||
|
Human Environment Animal Protection Partei Mensch Umwelt Tierschutz |
Tierschutzpartei | Animal rights Environmentalism |
Syncretic | GUE/NGL | ||
| Socialist Equality Party Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei |
SGP | Ulrich Rippert | Trotskyism | Far-left | none | ||
|
The Frisians Die Friesen |
FRIESEN | Ethnic minority interests | EFA | |||
|
The III. Path Der III. Weg |
Neo-Nazism German nationalism Ethnic nationalism Hard Euroscepticism |
Far-right | none | |||
|
The Republicans Die Republikaner |
REP | German nationalism National conservatism Euroscepticism Social conservatism |
Right-wing | none | ||
|
The Right Die Rechte |
Christian Worch | Neo-Nazism Ultranationalism Pan-Germanism Anti-immigration Revisionism |
Far-right | none | ||
| The Urbans. A HipHop Party Die Urbane. Eine HipHop Partei |
du | Niki Drakos, Raphael Hillebrand | Left-wing | none | |||
|
The Violets Die Violetten |
Die Violetten | Social liberalism Spiritualism |
none | |||
|
V-Partei³ – Party for Change, Vegetarians and Vegans V-Partei³ – Partei für Veränderung, Vegetarier und Veganer |
V³ | Animal rights Environmentalism |
none | |||
|
WiR2020 WiR2020 |
W2020 | Wolfgang Romberg, Sonja Früh | Anti-vaccinationism Anti-lockdown |
none | ||
Historical parties[]
Parties existing up to World War I[]
| Name | Abbr. | Ideology | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bavarian Peasants' League | BB | Agrarianism | |
| Centre Party | Zentrum | Christian democracy | |
| Christian Social Party | CSP | Traditionalist conservatism Christian democracy Anti-Semitism | |
| Democratic Union | DV | Liberalism Laïcité | |
| Free Conservative Party | FKP | National conservatism | |
| Free-minded People's Party | FVP | Liberalism Progressivism Parliamentarism Laicism | |
| Free-minded Union | FV | National liberalism | |
| General German Workers' Association | ADAV | Social democracy Democratic socialism | |
| German Conservative Party | DKP | Conservatism Economic liberalism Anti-Catholicism | |
| German Fatherland Party | DVLP | German nationalism Monarchism Militarism Volksgemeinschaft | |
| German-Hanoverian Party | DHP | Conservatism Federalism | |
| German People's Party | DtVP | Social liberalism Federalism Laïcité Parliamentarism | |
| German Progress Party | DFP | Liberalism Federalism | |
| German Free-minded Party | DFP | Liberalism Progressivism Parliamentarism Laïcité | |
| Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany | USPD | Democratic socialism Centrist Marxism Pacifism | |
| Liberal Union | LV | Liberalism Parliamentarism Classical liberalism Economic liberalism Conservative liberalism | |
| National Liberal Party | NLP | National liberalism | |
| National-Social Association | NSV | Christian socialism Social liberalism Nationalism | |
| Progressive People's Party | FVP | Social liberalism Parliamentarism Laïcité | |
| Social Democratic Workers' Party of Germany | SDAP | Social democracy Marxist socialism | |
Parties in Weimar Republic[]
- Bavarian People's Party (BVP)
- Centre Party (Zentrum)
- Christian Social People's Service (CSVD)
- Communist Party of Germany (KPD)
- Communist Party of Germany (Opposition) (KPO)
- Conservative People's Party (KVP)
- German Democratic Party (DDP)
- German National People's Party (DNVP)
- German People's Party (DVP)
- German Racialist Freedom Party (DVFP)
- German State Party (DStP)
- German Workers' Party (DAP)
- Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany (USPD)
- National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP)
- Socialist Workers' Party of Germany (SAPD)
Defunct parties in (former) West Germany[]
- Alliance of Germans (BdD)
- German Party (DP)
- German Conservative Party - German Right Party (DKP-DRP)
- German Reich Party (DRP)
- All-German Bloc/League of Expellees and Deprived of Rights (GB/BHE)
- All-German People's Party (GVP)
- Communist Party of Germany (Roter Morgen)
- (DFU)
Parties banned by the Constitutional Court[]
- Socialist Reich Party (SRP), banned in 1952
- Communist Party of Germany (KPD), banned in 1956
Parties in (former) East Germany[]
Bloc parties in the socialist state (1949–1989)[]
- Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED), "Leading Role" per 1968 Constitution
- Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDUD)
- Liberal Democratic Party of Germany (LDPD)
- Democratic Farmers' Party of Germany (DBD)
- National Democratic Party of Germany (NDPD)
During transition (1989–90)[]
- Alliance 90
- Democracy Now
- Initiative for Peace and Human Rights (IFM)
- New Forum
- Alliance for Germany
- Christian Democratic Union (CDU)
- Democratic Awakening (DA)
- German Social Union (DSU)
- Association of Free Democrats (BFD)
- Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)
- Free Democratic Party (FDP)
- German Forum Party (DFP)
- Democratic Farmers' Party of Germany (DBD)
- Green Party (Greens)
- National Democratic Party of Germany (NDPD)
- Social Democratic Party in the GDR (SDP)
- Socialist Unity Party of Germany—Party of Democratic Socialism (SED-PDS)
- United Left (VL)
Parties founded from 1989[]
- The Grays – Gray Panthers (GRAUE)
- Party for a Rule of Law Offensive (Offensive D)
- Statt Party
- The Freedom - Civil rights Party for more Freedom and Democracy
- Citizens for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
- Pro Germany Citizens' Movement
- New Liberals
See also[]
- Lists of political parties; categories by country and ideology.
- History of Germany since 1945
- Liberalism in Germany
References[]
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-11-08. Retrieved 2009-10-10.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Political parties form colorful spectrum in Germany". Deutsche Welle. 2009-08-18. Retrieved 2009-09-12.
- ^ The Green party: Getting used to opposition, Deutsche Welle, 2009-08-24, retrieved 2009-10-12,
This made a so-called Jamaica coalition with the Christian Democratic Union and the Free Democratic Party impossible.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Parties and Elections in Europe: The database about parliamentary elections and political parties in Europe, by Wolfram Nordsieck
- ^ "Armin Laschet elected new leader of Germany's CDU party". Euronews. 16 January 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ Christina Boswell; Dan Hough (2009). Politicizing migration: Opportunity or liability for the center-right in Germany. Immigration and Integration Policy in Europe: Why Politics – and the Center-Right – matter. Routledge. pp. 18, 21.
- ^ Klaus Detterbeck (2012). Multi-Level Party Politics in Western Europe. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 105.
- ^ Margret Hornsteiner; Thomas Saalfeld (2014). Parties and the Party System. Developments in German Politics. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 80.
- ^ George C. Lodge; Ezra F. Vogel (1987). Ideology and National Competitiveness: An Analysis of Nine Countries. Harvard Business Press. p. 85. ISBN 978-0-87584-147-2.
- ^ Russell A. Berman (2010). Freedom Or Terror: Europe Faces Jihad. Hoover Press. p. 110. ISBN 978-0-8179-1114-0.
- ^ "After migrants, German nationalist party takes aim at Islam". Yahoo News. 23 May 2016.
- ^ "Germany's Nationalist Party Set for Gains as Three States Vote". Voice of America. 11 March 2016.
- ^ Frank Decker (2015). "Follow-up to the Grand Coalition: The Germany Party System before and after the 2013 Federal Election". In Eric Langenbacher (ed.). The Merkel Republic: An Appraisal. Berghahn Books. pp. 34–39. ISBN 978-1-78238-896-8.
- ^ "Clashes as far-right EU lawmakers on Kashmir 'PR' trip". Al Jazeera. 30 October 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
The delegation included members of the nationalist, anti-immigration and eurosceptic Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, France’s National Rally, the Brexit Party and Poland’s Law and Justice party.
- ^ Parodi, Emilio (8 April 2019). "Nationalist EU parties plan to join forces after May elections". Reuters. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
“We want to reform the European Union and the European parliament, without destroying them. We want to bring radical change,” said Joerg Meuthen, the chairman of the eurosceptic Alternative for Germany party (AfD).
- ^ Raphaël Fèvre, ed. (2021). A Political Economy of Power: Ordoliberalism in Context, 1932-1950. Oxford University Press. p. 2. ISBN 9780197607800.
This reference to ordoliberalism has also resonated across the wide spectrum of German politics— albeit in a spirit of opposition to the CDU— from left- wing party leaders of Die Linke to the far- right of Alternative für Deutschland
- ^ José Magone (2011). Contemporary European Politics: A Comparative Introduction. Routledge. p. 392.
- ^ Assessing the 2019 European Parliament Elections. Taylor & Francis. 2020. p. 263. ISBN 9781000057263.
As in 2014, seven minor parties with vote shares below 5 per cent gained seats in the European Parliament, ranging from single-issue parties like the Animal Protection Party (one seat) or the Family Party (one seat) to the satirical 'Die Partei' (two seats) or the liberal-Conservative 'Free Voters'.
- ^ a b William T Daniel (2015). Career Behaviour and the European Parliament: All Roads Lead Through Brussels?. Oxford University Press. p. 135. ISBN 978-0-19-871640-2.
- ^ Simon Franzmann (2015). "The Failed Struggle for Office Instead of Votes". In Gabriele D'Ottavio; Thomas Saalfeld (eds.). Germany After the 2013 Elections: Breaking the Mould of Post-Unification Politics?. Ashgate. pp. 166–167. ISBN 978-1-4724-4439-4.
- ^ a b Wagschal, Prof Dr Uwe. "Arminus - Bund des deutschen Volkes (Arminus - Bund) | bpb". bpb.de (in German). Retrieved 2020-06-14.
External links[]
- Political Parties (Germany) - List of German political parties since 1949
- Overview of the elections since 1946 (Übersicht der Wahlen seit 1946) (on the website of the Tagesschau news service) - Election results in Germany since 1946 on state, federal and European levels (German descriptions, but graphics and data can be accessed without these).
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