Catalysts for Change: Small Parties in the 2021 Bundestag Election. Issue 3 (1st September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Patton, David F.
• Is Part Of: German politics and society. Volume 40:Issue 3(2022)
• Page Start: 73
• Page End: 87
• Publication Date: 2022-09-01
• Subjects: Alliance 90/The Greens -- Alternative for Germany -- coalition politics -- Free Democratic Party -- Left Party -- Volksparteien; Germany -- Civilization -- Periodicals; Germany -- Politics and government -- 1945-1990 -- Periodicals; Germany -- Politics and government -- 1990- -- Periodicals; 943.005
• DOI: 10.3167/gps.2022.400304
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1558-5441

Abstract

Abstract: In 2021, the small parties continued their electoral ascent in Germany. For the first time they received more votes than did the cdu /csu and the spd . Three finished with a double-digit result, and the combined vote share of the top two small parties exceeded that of the largest vote-getter. After the election, a novel three-party coalition arose at the national level. This resulted in a centrist alternative to grand coalitions and converted the electoral gains of the small parties into increased policymaking influence for the Greens and the fdp . This article considers the impact of the small parties, analyzes their success in 2021, and examines the campaigns, results, and prospects of Alliance 90/The Greens, the Free Democratic Party, the Alternative for Germany, and the Left Party.