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Politics of Germany |
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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
- ↑ A right-wing party originally starting as a centre-right alternative to the CDU/CSU, since 2015 it is considered to be part of the radical right, a subset of the far-right that does not oppose democracy.
- ↑ BSW members sat in The Left's faction before its dissolution on 6 December 2023. Currently, BSW members sit as independents pending the Bundestag's approval of the formation of a separate BSW parliamentary group.
- ↑ BSW has been variously described as left-wing, far-left, and left-conservative; the latter label is due to its more right-wing stance on socio-cultural issues.
Regional parties represented in only one state parliament
Name | Abbr. | Leader(s) | Ideology | Political position | MdLs | State | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brandenburg United Civic Movements/Free Voters Brandenburger Vereinigte Bürgerbewegungen / Freie Wähler |
BVB/FW | Péter Vida | Regionalism | 5 / 88 |
Brandenburg | |||
South Schleswig Voters' Association Südschleswigscher Wählerverband |
SSW | Christian Dirschauer | Social liberalism Regionalism Danish minority interests Frisian minority interests |
Centre-left | 4 / 69 |
Schleswig-Holstein | ||
Citizens for ThuringiaBürger für Thüringen Bürger für Thüringen |
BfTh | Ute Bergner | Right-wing populism | Right-wing | 2 / 90 |
Thuringia |
Minor parties
Name | Abbr. | Leader(s) | Ideology | Political position | EP group | Membership | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Action Citizen for Justice Aktion Bürger für Gerechtigkeit |
AGB | Alfred Dorn | Direct democracy Social democracy Alternative medicine |
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Action Party for Animal WelfareAktion Partei für Tierschutz Aktion Partei für Tierschutz |
Tierschutz hier! | Thomas Schwarz | Animal rights Animal welfare |
Single-issue | 50 | |||
Association for Freedom and Humanity BUND FÜR FREIHEIT UND HUMANITÄT |
Anton Stucki | Liberalism | 40[5] | |||||
Alliance C – Christians for Germany Bündnis C – Christen für Deutschland |
Bündnis C | Karin Heepen & Ole Steffes | Conservatism Christian fundamentalism |
Right-wing | ECPM | 1,078 | ||
Alliance for Innovation and Justice Bündnis für Innovation und Gerechtigkeit |
BIG | Haluk Yildiz | Political Islam | 2,000 | ||||
Alliance for Human Rights, Animal- and Nature Protection Allianz für Menschenrechte, Tier- und Naturschutz |
Tierschutzallianz | Josef Fassl | Animal rights | Single-issue | 97 | |||
Alliance of German Democrats Allianz Deutscher Demokraten |
AD-Demokraten | Ramazan Akbaş | Conservatism Political Islam |
2,500 | ||||
AlphaHHP AlphaHHP - gesundheitspolitische Partei für Deutschland in Europa |
AlphaHHP | Anti-vaccination | ||||||
Anarchist Pogo Party of Germany Anarchistische Pogo-Partei Deutschlands |
APPD | Peter Vehreschild | Satire | Apoliticism | 2,512 | |||
Arminius – Association of the German People Arminius – Bund des deutschen Volkes |
Arminius – Bund | Johann Thießen | Russia German interests German nationalism Neo-nazism |
Far-right | 40 | |||
Basic Income Alliance Bündnis Grundeinkommen |
BGE | Martin Sonnabend | Universal basic income | Single-issue | 271 | |||
Basic Income for AllGrundeinkommen für Alle Grundeinkommen für Alle |
GFA | Uwe Bjorck | Universal basic income | Single-issue | 21 | |||
Bavaria Party Bayernpartei |
BP | Florian Weber | Autonomism Bavarian nationalism Regionalism Conservatism |
Centre-right | EFA | 3,926 | ||
Bergpartei, die "ÜberPartei" Bergpartei, die Überpartei |
B* | Rico Tscharntke | Post-left anarchy Dadaism |
Far-left | 229 | |||
German Centre Party Deutsche Zentrumspartei |
ZENTRUM | Christian Otte | Christian democracy Conservatism Social conservatism |
Centre-right | 300 | |||
Climate List Germany Klimaliste Deutschland |
KL | Fabian Aisenbrey, Doris Vollmer | Climate change mitigation | |||||
Citizen for Germany Bürger für Deutschland |
BfD | Direct democracy | ||||||
Citizen for Progress and Change Bürger für Fortschritt und Wandel |
BFW | Uwe Hück | Progressivism | Centre-left | 170 | |||
Civic and economic-ecological Union Bürgerliche und wirtschaftsökologische Union |
BWUnion | Liberalism Nationalism |
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Civil Rights Movement Solidarity Bürgerrechtsbewegung Solidarität |
BüSo | Helga Zepp-LaRouche | LaRouche movement | Syncretic | 556 | |||
Communist Party of Germany Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands |
KPD | Torsten Schöwitz | Communism Marxism–Leninism Anti-revisionism Stalinism |
Far-left | 165 | |||
Democratic Union of Germany Demokratische Vereinigung Deutschland |
DVD | Werner Krüger | Reformism Direct democracy Universal basic income |
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Democratic Liberal LEAGUE Demokratisch Liberale LIGA |
LIGA | Thomas H. Stütz | Conservatism | Centre-right | ||||
Democracy DIRECT! Demokratie DIREKT! |
DIE DIREKTE! | Christian Rombeck | Direct democracy | 34 | ||||
Democracy in Motion Demokratie in Bewegung |
DiB | Julia Beerhold, Alexander Plitsch | Democratic socialism | Left-wing | 224 | |||
Democratic Left Demokratische Linke |
DL | Eckehart Ehrenberg | Democratic socialism | Left-wing | 43 | |||
Ecological LeftÖkologische Linke Ökologische Linke |
ÖkoLinX | Grassroots democracy Eco-socialism Anti-fascism |
Left-wing to far-left | 350 | ||||
Ecological-Left Liberal Democratic Party Ökolinksliberale Demokratische Partei |
ÖLDP | Bérangère Bultheel | Social democracy Social liberalism European Federalism |
Centre-left | 70 | |||
Educate Berlin! Bildet Berlin! |
Bildet Berlin! | Florian Bublys, Tamara Adamzik | Education reform | Single-issue | 50 | |||
European Party LoveEuropäische Partei Liebe Europäische Partei Liebe |
LIEBE | European federalism Subsidized marriage |
53 | |||||
Feminist Party The Women Feministische Partei Die Frauen |
DIE FRAUEN | Renate Schmidtsdorff-Aicher | Feminism | 400 | ||||
Free Citizens' Union Freie Bürger Union |
FBU | Walter Pfleiderer | National liberalism Conservatism Nationalism |
Right-wing | ||||
Free Citizen Central Germany Freie Bürger Mitteldeutschland |
FBM | Regionalism | 35 | |||||
Free Horizon Freier Horizont |
FREiER HORIZONT | Norbert Schumacher | Anti-Wind turbine | Single-issue | ||||
Free Parliamentary Alliance Freiparlamentarische Allianz Freiparlamentarische Allianz |
FPA | Luca Piwodda | Participatory democracy | 200 | ||||
Free Saxons Freie Sachsen |
FS | Martin Kohiman | Saxon monarchism Regionalism |
Right-wing to Far-right | 1,200 | |||
From Now on... Democracy Through Referendum Ab jetzt…Demokratie durch Volksabstimmung Ab jetzt … Demokratie durch Volksabstimmung |
Volksabstimmung | Helmut Fleck | Direct Democracy Nationalism |
Right-wing | 350 | |||
Future. Zukunft. |
Z. | Lasse Lorenzen | Regionalism | 112 | ||||
future! future! future! |
future! | Stephan Bublitz | Youth interests | |||||
Garden PartyGartenpartei Gartenpartei |
Gartenpartei | Roland Zander | Pro-Allotment Environmentalism |
349 | ||||
German Centre Deutsche Mitte |
DM | Sven Hüther | Right-wing populism Anti-vaccination |
Right-wing | 500 | |||
German Conservatives Deutsche Konservative |
Deutsche Konservative | Dieter Jochim | Conservatism National conservatism |
Centre-right to right-wing | 380 | |||
German Communist Party Deutsche Kommunistische Partei |
DKP | Patrik Köbele | Communism Marxism–Leninism |
Far-left | 2,850 | |||
German Party – The Liberals Deutsche Partei – Die Freiheitlichen |
DP | Gerd-Uwe Dahlmann | National conservatism German nationalism Right-wing populism |
Right-wing | 250 | |||
German Protestant League Deutsche Protestantische Liga |
DEUPROLIGA | Christian democracy Globalism |
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German Sports Party Deutsche Sportpartei |
DSP | Michael Möller | Grassroots democracy Sport for social development Anti-Doping |
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German Social Union Deutsche Soziale Union |
DSU | Roberto Rink | National conservatism Social conservatism |
Right-wing | 1,060 | |||
Germans Originating from all of Germany (Autochthons) Aus Gesamtdeutschland stammende Deutsche (Autochthone) |
AGsD | Horst Zaborowski | Nationalism Irredentism Direct democracy |
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Grassroots Democratic Party of Germany Basisdemokratische Partei Deutschland |
dieBasis | Reiner Fuellmich, Viviane Fischer | Grassroots democracy Anti-lockdown Anti-vaccination |
Far-right | 24,000 | |||
Human Economy Party Humanwirtschaftspartei |
HUMANWIRTSCHAFT | Dieter Müller | Freiwirtschaft | |||||
Party Human Environment Animal protection Partei Mensch Umwelt Tierschutz |
Tierschutzpartei | Aida Spiegeler Castaneda Marcel Krohn Robert Gabel |
Animal rights Environmentalism |
APEU | 2,400 | |||
Human world - for the well-being and happiness of all Menschliche Welt – für das Wohl und Glücklichsein aller |
MENSCHLICHE WELT | Michael Moritz | Progressive utilization theory Anti-vaccination Pacifism |
669 | ||||
INDEPENDENTS for citizen-friendly democracy UNABHÄNGIGE für bürgernahe Demokratie |
UNABHÄNGIGE | Werner Fischer | Independent politics Direct democracy |
86 | ||||
Liberal Democrats – The Social Liberals Liberale Demokraten – Die Sozialliberalen |
LD | Bernd Grothkopp | Social liberalism | 100 | ||||
Lobbyists for Children Lobbyisten für Kinder |
LfK | Johanna Nelkner, Fabio Libonati | Children's rights | 100 | ||||
Lusatian Alliance Lausitzer Allianz / Łužiska Alianca / Łužyska Alianca |
Hannes Wilhelm-Kell | Regionalism Progressivism Ethnic minority interests |
90 | |||||
Marxist–Leninist Party of Germany Marxistisch-Leninistische Partei Deutschlands |
MLPD | Gabi Fechtner | Marxism–Leninism Communism |
Far-left | 2,800 | |||
Mindful Democrats Achtsame Demokraten |
Die Achtsamen | |||||||
Modern Social Party Moderne Soziale Partei |
MSP | |||||||
mut mut |
mut | Claudia Stamm | Social liberalism | Centre-left | 400 | |||
MERA25 MERA25 |
Julijana Zita | Progressivism Green New Deal European federalism Direct democracy |
DiEM25 | |||||
neo. Wellbeing for all neo. Wohlstand für alle |
neo. | Jörg Gastmann | Economic Balance System Universal basic income Grassroots democracy |
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New Strength Party Neue Stärke Partei |
NSP | Sara Storch, Christoph Thews | Neo-Nazism | Far-right | ||||
One for all - Party Eine für Alle - Partei |
Eine für Alle | Grassroots democracy | 13 | |||||
Party for Franconia Partei für Franken |
DIE FRANKEN | Robert Gattenlöhner | Regionalism | 237 | ||||
Party for Biomedical Rejuvenation Research Partei für schulmedizinische Verjüngungsforschung |
Verjüngungsforschung | Felix Werth | Single-issue politics | Single-issue | 289 | |||
Party of Humanists Partei der Humanisten |
PdH | Lasse Schäfer | Humanism Secularism Civil libertarianism Social liberalism |
2,300 | ||||
Party of Progress Partei des Fortschritts |
Grassroots democracy | 220 | ||||||
Party of Reason Partei der Vernunft |
PDV | Friedrich Dominicus | Right-libertarianism Euroscepticism |
Right-wing | EPIL | 352 | ||
PETO PETO |
PETO | Lydia Hannawald | Youth interests | 400 | ||||
Renters Party Mieterpartei |
MIETERPARTEI | Anke Hahn, Hartmut Bräunlich | Anti-high rent | Centre-left | 50 | |||
SGV – Solidarity, Equity, Change SGV – Solidarität, Gerechtigkeit, Veränderung |
SGV | Anti-corruption | ||||||
Socialist Equality Party Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei |
SGP | Ulrich Rippert | Trotskyism | Far-left | 276 | |||
Standing up socially just intelligent party Aufstehen sozial gerechte intelligente Partei |
Aufstehenpartei | Paul Weiler | Left-wing populism | Centre-left to Left-wing | ||||
Statt Party Statt Partei |
STATT | Robert W. Hugo | Populism | 200 | ||||
The Justice Party – Team Todenhöfer Die Gerechtigkeitspartei – Team Todenhöfer |
Jürgen Todenhöfer | Anti-militarism Populism |
5,314 | |||||
The Glass clear Die Glasklar |
DGK | Die Glasklar | Social democracy Populism |
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The Federals DIE FÖDERALEN |
DIE FÖDERALEN | Maren Zaidan | Liberalism Federalism Progressivism |
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The Grays – For all Generations Die Grauen – Für alle Generationen |
Die Grauen | Michael Schulz | Intergenerationality | 135 | ||||
The Homeland Die Heimat |
NPD | Frank Franz | Neo-Nazism Ultranationalism Pan-Germanism Anti-immigration Revanchism |
Far-right | APF | 3,000 | ||
The House of Germany Das Haus Deutschland |
DHD | Egbert Besler | Constitutionalism Social democracy |
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The Reformers Die Reformer |
REFORMER | Erich Schuster | Liberalism Pro-Europeanism |
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The III. Path Der III. Weg |
III. Weg | Matthias Fischer | Neo-Nazism Strasserism Ethnic nationalism German nationalism Hard Euroscepticism |
Far-right | 642 | |||
The Modernity die Moderne |
Martin Martens | Centrism | Centre | |||||
The New Centre Die Neue Mitte - Zurück zur Vernunft |
NM | Christoph Hörstel | Sovereignism Euroscepticism Anti-vaccination Anti-Zionism Russophilia |
Right-wing | ||||
The New Democrats Die neuen Demokraten |
Security | |||||||
The Libertarians Die Libertären |
DIE LIBERTÄREN | Julian Schloddarick | Libertarianism Laissez-faire Economic liberalism |
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THE OTHERS DIE SONSTIGEN |
sonstige | Democratic confederalism Progressivism Anti-militarism |
Left-wing | 171 | ||||
The Party of Sorbians die partei der sorben |
PDS | Lars Krause | Political satire Sorbian Separatism Anti-militarism |
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The Pink/ Alliance21 Die Pinken/Bündnis21 |
BÜNDNIS21 | Anti-corruption | 450 | |||||
The Republicans Die Republikaner |
REP | Tilo Schöne | German nationalism National conservatism Euroscepticism Social conservatism |
Right-wing | 4,533 | |||
The Right Die Rechte |
Die RECHTE | Christian Worch | Neo-Nazism Ultranationalism Pan-Germanism Anti-immigration Historical revisionism |
Far-right | 550 | |||
The Sharks – Party with bite Die Haie – Partei mit Biss |
HAIE | Jan Heie Erchinger | Pragmatism | Centre | ||||
The Peace Party Die Friedenspartei |
Marie-José Velonjara | Pacifism | ||||||
The Urbans. A HipHop Party Die Urbane. Eine HipHop Partei |
du | Niki Drakos, Raphael Hillebrand | Social justice Environmentalism |
303 | ||||
The Violets Die Violetten |
Die Violetten | Irene Garcia Garcia | Spiritualism Direct democracy Environmentalism |
678 | ||||
Thuringian Homeland Party Thüringer Heimatpartei |
THP | 56 | ||||||
Us Citizen Wir Bürger |
LKR | Jürgen Joost | Centre-right to right-wing | ECR Party | 1,000 | |||
V-Partei³ – Party for Change, Vegetarians and Vegans V-Partei³ – Partei für Veränderung, Vegetarier und Veganer |
V³ | Roland Wegner | Animal rights Environmentalism |
1,200 | ||||
Waying C Aufbruch C |
Andreas Epp | Christian democracy Conservatism |
Right-wing | 74 | ||||
WiR2020 WiR2020 |
W2020 | Wolfgang Romberg, Sonja Früh | Anti-vaccinationism Anti-lockdown |
4,600 | ||||
Historical parties
Defunct parties in the Federal Republic of Germany
Logo | Name | Abbr. | Leader(s) | Ideology | Active | Note | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
50Plus The generation alliance 50Plus Das Generationen-Bündnis |
50Plus | Hans Werner Müller | Right-wing populism | 2004–2009 | |||
Action Democratic Progress Aktion Demokratischer Fortschritt |
ADF | Collective leadership | Communism | 1968–1969 | |||
Action Group Fourth Party Aktionsgemeinschaft Vierte Partei |
AVP | Christian Ernst Dietrich Bahner | National conservatism | 1975–1978 | |||
Action Group of Independent Germans Aktionsgemeinschaft Unabhängiger Deutscher |
AUD | Hermann Schwann (1965–1968) | German nationalism Environmentalism Neutrality |
1965–1980 | Merged into The Greens | ||
Active Democracy direct Aktive Demokratie direkt |
ADd | Direct democracy E-democracy |
2011–2016 | ||||
All-German Bloc/League of Expellees and Deprived of Rights Gesamtdeutscher Block/Bund der Heimatvertriebenen und Entrechteten |
GB/BHE | Waldemar Kraft (1951–1954) | National conservatism German nationalism Expellee interests |
1950–1961 | Merged into DP | ||
All-German Party of Germany Gesamtdeutsche Partei Deutschlands |
GPD | Frank Seiboth, Herbert Schneider | National conservatism German nationalism Expellee interests |
1961–1981 | Merger of GB/BHE and DP | ||
All-German People's Party Gesamtdeutsche Volkspartei |
GVP | Gustav Heinemann | Anti-Western integration[de] Christian democracy Anti-militarism Neutrality |
1952–1957 | Split from CDU, merged into SPD | ||
Alliance for Health, Peace and Social Justice Allianz für Gesundheit, Frieden und soziale Gerechtigkeit |
AGFG | Matthias Rath | Alternative medicine | 2005–2009 | |||
Alliance of Germans, Party for Unity, Peace and Freedom Bund der Deutschen, Partei für Einheit, Frieden und Freiheit |
BdD | Josef Weber (1964–1968) | Anti-Western integration[de] Anti-militarism Neutrality |
1953–1968 | Merged into DFU | ||
Alliance of the Centre Allianz der Mitte |
ADM | Hans Weide | Conservatism | 2004–2012 | Merged into Deutsche Konservative | ||
Automobile Taxpayers Party Automobile Steuerzahler-Partei |
ASP | Motorist interests | 1993–2002 | ||||
Awakening of German patriots – Central Germany Aufbruch deutscher Patrioten – Mitteldeutschland |
ADPM | Benjamin Przybylla | Right-wing populism National conservatism Nationalism |
2019–2020 | |||
Awakening for civil rights, freedom and health Aufbruch für Bürgerrechte, Freiheit und Gesundheit |
AUFBRUCH | Hans Christoph Scheiner | Anti-wireless expansion Alternative medicine |
1998–2012 | |||
Christian Centre Christliche Mitte — Für ein Deutschland nach GOTTES Geboten |
CM | Josef Happel | National conservatism Christian conservatism Social conservatism |
1988–2016 | Still exists as a think tank | ||
Christian Falangist Party of Germany Christlich Falangistische Partei Deutschlands |
CFPD | Falangism Zionism |
2006-2009 | ||||
Christian League - The Party for Life Christliche Liga – Die Partei für das Leben |
LIGA | Ewald Jaksch | Christian right Conservatism |
1985–1995 | |||
Citizens for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Bürger für Mecklenburg-Vorpommern |
BMV | Michael Bertram | Conservatism Regionalism |
2018 | Split from AfD, merged into Free Voters | ||
Communist League of West Germany Kommunistischer Bund Westdeutschland |
KBW | Joscha Schmierer (1973–1982) | Maoism | 1973–1985 | |||
Communist Party of Germany (Roter Morgen) Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands (Roter Morgen) |
KPD (Roter Morgen) | Communism Marxism–Leninism Anti-revisionism Hoxhaism |
1985–2011 | Split from KPD/ML | |||
Communist Party of Germany/Marxists–Leninists Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands/Marxisten-Leninisten |
KPD/ML | Ernst Aust (1968–1983) | Communism Marxism–Leninism Anti-revisionism Hoxhaism |
1968–1986 | Newspaper still exists | ||
Communist Party of Germany Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands |
KPD | Max Reimann (1948–1956) | Communism Marxism-Leninism |
1918–1956 | Banned in 1956 | ||
Democratic Gay/Lesbian Party - The People's Party Demokratische Schwul / Lesbische Partei - Die Bürgerpartei |
DSLP | Thomas Mosmann | Homonationalism Anti-Islam |
2013–2016 | |||
Democratic Left Demokratische Linke |
DL | Socialism | 1967–1970 | ||||
Democratic Socialists Demokratische Sozialisten |
DS | Eurocommunism | 1982–1991 | ||||
Democratic Party of Germany Demokratische Partei |
DPD | Markus Giersch | Universal basic income Grassroots democracy Anti-Noise pollution |
2009–2015 | |||
Drivers' and Peoples' Interest Party Autofahrer- und Volksinteressenpartei |
AViP | Andreas Uhing | Motorist interests Euroscepticism |
2011–2016 | |||
Drivers' and Citizens' Interest Party Autofahrer- und Bürgerinteressenpartei Deutschlands |
APD | Anton K. Marth | Motorist interests | 1988–2002 | |||
Equality Party Gerechtigkeitspartei |
G | 1973–1978 | |||||
European Federalist Party Europäische Föderalistische Partei |
EFP | Karl Hahn | European federalism | 1964–1994 | |||
European Workers-Party Europäische Arbeiter-Partei |
EAP | Helga Zepp-LaRouche | LaRouche movement | 1974–1986 | Succeeded by Patrioten | ||
Expellee and Migrants Party of Germany – Unity Aussiedler und Migranten Partei Deutschland – EINHEIT |
DIE EINHEIT | Dimitri Rempel | Russophilia Conservatism Expellee interests |
2013–? | |||
Federation for a Complete Germany Bund für Gesamtdeutschland |
BGD | Horst Zaborowski | Revanchism Nationalism |
1990-2017 | Merged with AGsD | ||
Free Citizens' Initiative Freie Bürger-Initiative |
FBI | Dr. Thomas Kernebeck | Direct democracy | 1994–? | |||
Free German People's Party Freiheitliche Deutsche Volkspartei |
FDVP | Nationalism | 2000–2003 | Split from DVU, merged into DP | |||
Free German Workers' Party Freiheitliche Deutsche Arbeiterpartei |
FAP | Friedhelm Busse (1988-1995) | Neo-Nazism Strasserism |
1979–1995 | Banned in 1995 (as organization) | ||
Free Union Freie Union |
FU | Danny Hoffmann | Conservatism Direct democracy Economic liberalism |
2009–2019 | |||
The Frisians Die Friesen |
FRIESEN | Ralf Bieneck | Ethnic minority interests | 2007-2023 | |||
German Community Deutsche Gemeinschaft |
DG | Otto Hess | German nationalism Anti-militarism Revanchism Strasserism Neutrality |
1949–1965 | Merged into AUD | ||
German Conservative Party - German Right Party Deutsche Konservative Partei – Deutsche Rechtspartei |
DKP-DRP | Wilhelm Jaeger (1947–1949) | National conservatism | 1956–1950 | Merged into DRP and DP | ||
German Democratic Party Deutsche Demokratische Partei |
ddp | Thorsten Sandvoß | Third way Universal basic income |
2004–2015 | |||
German Empire Party Deutsche Reichspartei |
DRP | Heinrich Kunstmann, Adolf von Thadden, Alexander Andrae | Neo-Nazism (after 1952) Pan-Germanism German nationalism |
1950–1956 | Merger of DRP and NDP | ||
German Freedom Party Deutsche Freiheitspartei |
DFP | Heinrich Kunstmann | German nationalism Strasserism Neutrality |
1962–1964 | Split from DRP, merged into AUD | ||
German Freedom Party Die Freiheit – Bürgerrechtspartei für mehr Freiheit und Demokratie |
DIE FREIHEIT | Michael Stürzenberger | Classical liberalism Direct democracy Right-wing populism Hard Euroscepticism |
2010–2016 | |||
German Party Deutsche Partei |
DP | Heinrich Hellwege | German nationalism National conservatism Constitutional monarchism |
1947–1961 | |||
German Party Deutsche Partei |
DP | Adolf von Thadden (after 1967) | National conservatism | 1961–1980 | Founded by former members of the 1947 DP | ||
German Peace Union Deutsche Friedens-Union |
DFU | Pacifism Neutrality Anti-militarism |
1960–1984/90 | ||||
German People's Union Deutsche Volksunion |
DVU | Matthias Faust (2009–2011) | Pan-Germanism National conservatism Right-wing populism |
1971/87–2011 | Split from and merged into NPD | ||
German Reconstruction Party Deutsche Aufbaupartei |
D|A|P | Tobias Stober | D-Mark reintroduction | 2017–2019 | |||
German Social Union Deutsch-Soziale Union |
DSU | Otto Strasser | Strasserism Revolutionary nationalism |
1956–1962 | |||
German Solidarity - Union for the Environment and Life Protection Deutsche Solidarität – Union für Umwelt und Lebensschutz |
Öko-Union | Horst Götting | National conservatism | 1978–1997 | Split from AVP | ||
German Union Deutsche Union |
DU | Siegfried Zoglmann | National liberalism | 1971–1980 | |||
Gray Panthers Graue Panther |
Graue Panther | Georg Schulte | 1989–2008 | ||||
Humanist Party Humanistische Partei |
HP | New Humanism Social liberalism Grassroots democracy |
1984–2006 | ||||
Independent Workers' Party (German Socialists) Unabhängige Arbeiter-Partei (Deutsche Sozialisten) |
UAP | Ulrich Villmow (1995–2014) | Strasserism Neue Rechte European federalism Democratic socialism |
1962–2014 | Split from DSU, unofficial successor | ||
Independent Workers' Party of Germany Unabhängige Arbeiterpartei Deutschlands |
UAPD | Titoism Trotskyism |
1950–1952 | ||||
Kreuzberg Patriotic Democrats/Realistic Center Kreuzberger Patriotische Demokraten/Realistisches Zentrum |
KPD/RZ | Hans Joachim Grimm | Satire Anti-fascism |
1988–2016 | Merged into Die PARTEI | ||
Labour and Social Justice – The Electoral Alternative Arbeit und soziale Gerechtigkeit – Die Wahlalternative |
WASG | Klaus Ernst, Thomas Händel, Christine Buchholz, Axel Troost | Democratic socialism Trade unionism |
2005–2007 | Merged into The Left | ||
League of German Communists Bund Deutscher Kommunisten |
BDK | Communism Marxism-Leninism |
1972–? | Split from DKP | |||
Liberal People's Party Freiheitliche Volkspartei |
FVP | Franz Handlos | National conservatism Social conservatism |
1985–1992 | Split from The Republicans | ||
Maritime Union of Germany Maritime Union Deutschland |
MUD | Konrad Fischer | Fishermans' interests Social democracy Euroscepticism |
2011–2012 | |||
Mature Citizens Die Mündigen Bürger |
Mündige Bürger | Erika Herbst | National conservatism Alternative medicine Esotericism |
1975–1994 | |||
Motorist and citizens' interest party in Germany Autofahrer- und Bürgerinteressenpartei Deutschlands |
APD | Anton K. Marth (1988–1995) | Motorist interests | 1988–2002 | |||
Muslim Democratic Union Muslimische Demokratische Union |
MDU | Islamism Salafism |
2010–2014 | Merged into BIG | |||
National Liberal Action Nationalliberale Aktion |
NLA | Erich Mende | National liberalism | 1970–1971 | |||
National Democratic Empire Party Nationaldemokratische Reichspartei |
NDRP | Neo-Nazism | 1950–1951 | Merger of multiple smaller parties, succeeded by Young Party | |||
Natural Law Party Naturgesetz-Partei, Aufbruch zu neuem Bewusstsein |
NATURGESETZ | Transcendental Meditation | 1992–2004 | ||||
New consciousness - The holistic-esoteric party of Germany Neues Bewußtsein die ganzheitlich-esoterische Partei Deutschlands |
Bewußtsein | New-Age movement Esotericism |
1989–? | ||||
New National Party Neue Nationale Partei |
NNP | Jens Tholen | Civic nationalism Social liberalism Anti-fascism |
2014–2015 | |||
Noise torture-Environment-Politics-Honest Lärmfolter-Umwelt-Politik-ehrlich |
LUPe | Klaus Zimmer | Anti-Noise pollution | 2013–2016 | |||
Parent Party Elternpartei |
Eltern | Werner Jock | Parents' interests | 2005–2010 | |||
Party for a Rule of Law Offensive Partei Rechtsstaatlicher Offensive |
PRO | Ronald Schill (2000–2003) | Right-wing populism Conservatism |
2000–2007 | Commonly known as Schill-Partei | ||
Party for Labour, Environment and Family AUF - Partei für Arbeit, Umwelt und Familie - Christen für Deutschland |
AUF | Conservatism Christian fundamentalism |
2008–2015 | Merged into Alliance C | |||
Party of Bible-abiding Christians Partei Bibeltreuer Christen |
PBC | Gerhard Heinzmann | Christian right Pentecostalism Christian fundamentalism |
1989–2015 | Merged into Alliance C | ||
Party of Democratic Socialism Partei des Demokratischen Sozialismus |
PDS | Lothar Bisky (2003–2007) | Democratic socialism Left-wing populism |
1989–2007 | Merged into The Left | ||
Party of Non-Voters Partei der Nichtwähler |
Nichtwähler | Werner Peters | Protest party Direct democracy |
1998–2016 | |||
Party of those willing to work and the socially disadvantaged Partei der Arbeitswilligen und Sozial Schwachen |
PASS | Frank Knüppel (1998–2000) | Protest party Unemployed interests |
1993-2009 | |||
Patriots for Germany Patrioten für Deutschland |
Patrioten | Helga Zepp-LaRouche | LaRouche movement National conservatism |
1986–1992 | Succeeded by BüSo | ||
Peace List Die Friedensliste |
FRIEDEN | 1984–1986: Mechtild Jansen Manfred Coppik Hans Mausbach |
Peace movement | 1984–1989 | |||
Pensioners' Party Germany Rentner Partei Deutschland |
RENTNER | Günter Pfeiffer | Senior citizens interests | 2002–2016 | |||
Pensioners' Party Rentnerinnen- und Rentner-Partei |
RRP | Manfred Link | Senior citizens interests | 2007–2016 | |||
Pro Germany Citizens' Movement Bürgerbewegung pro Deutschland |
pro Deutschland | Manfred Rouhs | Right-wing populism | 2005–2017 | |||
Pro NRW Bürgerbewegung pro NRW |
pro NRW | Markus Beisicht | Right-wing populism Anti-immigration Anti-Islam |
2007–2019 | |||
Posadist Communist Party Posadistische Kommunistische Partei |
Paul Schulz | Posadism | 1969–2005 | ||||
Sarazzist Party ━ for Referendums Sarazzistische Partei – für Volksentscheide |
SPV | Kai Schulze | Sarrazism Direct democracy |
2010–2011 | |||
Saxon People's Party Sächsische Volkspartei |
SVP | Mirko Schmidt | Nationalism | 2006–2019 | |||
Social People's Party Soziale Volkspartei |
SVP | Ronny Grubert | Neo-Nazism Militancy |
1999 | Split from NPD | ||
Social People's Party of Germany Soziale Volkspartei Deutschlands |
SVD | Wolfgang Staschen | Social democracy Anti-immigration |
1984 | |||
Socialist Reich Party Sozialistische Reichspartei Deutschlands |
SRP | Otto Ernst Remer, Fritz Dorls, Gerhard Krüger | Neo-Nazism | 1949–1952 | Banned in 1952 | ||
Socialist Unity Party of West Berlin Sozialistische Einheitspartei Westberlins |
SEW | Gerhard Danelius (1962–1978) | Communism Marxism-Leninism |
1962–1991 | Split from SED | ||
Spartacus League Spartacusbund |
SpB | Trotskyism | 1974–1980s | ||||
Red October Roter Oktober |
RO | Communism Marxism-Leninism |
2002–2009 | Split from KPD (RO) | |||
Revolutionary Socialist League Revolutionär Sozialistischer Bund/Vierte Internationale |
RSB | Trotskyism | 1994–2016 | Merged into ISO | |||
The Blue Party Die blaue Partei |
Blaue #TeamPetry | Frauke Petry | National conservatism National liberalism Euroscepticism |
2017–2019 | Split from the AfD | ||
The Grays – Gray Panthers Die Grauen – Graue Panther |
GRAUE | Anti-Ageism Green politics Senior citizens interests |
1989–2008 | Split into Die Grauen and Graue Panther | |||
The Social Liberals Die Sozialliberalen |
SL | Mikael Horstmann | Social liberalism European federalism |
2014–2021 | Still exists as a think tank | ||
The Ungovernable - Autonomous List Die Unregierbaren – Autonome Liste |
U/AL | Anti-fascism Direct action |
1989–2009 | ||||
Union of Free Citizens Bund freier Bürger |
BFB | Manfred Brunner | National liberalism Right-wing populism |
1994–2000 | |||
Union of Free Germany Bund Freies Deutschland |
BFD | Right-wing populism | 1973–1977 | ||||
United Socialist Party Vereinigte Sozialistische Partei |
VSP | Socialism | 1986–2000 | ||||
West German Women's Peace Movement Westdeutsche Frauenfriedensbewegung |
WFFB | Klara Marie Faßbinder | German reunification Anti-militarism Pacifism |
1952–1974 | |||
Woman's Party Frauenpartei |
Frauen | Sibylle Schücking-Helfferich | Feminism | 1979–1989 | |||
Work for Bremen and Bremerhaven Arbeit für Bremen und Bremerhaven |
AFB | Centrism | 1995–2004 | ||||
Workers' Party of Germany Partei der Arbeit Deutschlands |
PdAD | Michael Koth | Juche National Bolshevism |
1995–1998 | |||
Workers' Party of Germany Partei der Arbeit Deutschlands |
PdAD | Simon Bärmann | Social democracy Progressive conservatism |
2017–2020 | |||
Young Party Junge Partei |
Neo-Nazism Neutrality |
1951–1951/2 | |||||
Youth and Development Party of Germany Jugend- und Entwicklungspartei Deutschlands |
JED | Till Müller, Lukas Ostermann | Youth interests Social liberalism Cannabis legalization |
2017–2019 |
Defunct parties in Allied-occupied Germany
Logo | Name | Abbr. | Leader(s) | Ideology | Active | Note | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic People's Party Demokratische Volkspartei |
DVP | Theodor Heuss | Liberalism | 1946–1948 | Merged into FDP | ||
German Conservative Party Deutsche Konservative Partei |
DKP | Eldor Borck, Otto Schmidt-Hannover | National conservatism | 1946–1950 | Merged into DKP-DRP | ||
German Reconstruction Party Deutsche Aufbaupartei |
DAP | Monarchism German nationalism |
1945–1946 | Merged into DKP-DRP | |||
Lower Saxony State Party Niedersächsische Landespartei |
Regionalism Christian conservatism Establishment of Lower Saxony |
1945–1947 | Merged into DP | ||||
National Democratic Party Nationaldemokratische Partei |
NDP | Heinrich Leuchtgens | National conservatism | 1945–1950 | Only active in Hesse, merged into DRP | ||
Radical Social Freedom Party Radikal-Soziale Freiheitspartei |
RSF | Richard Batz, Peter Thielen | Freiwirtschaft Border abolition Decentralization |
1946–1950 | Succeeded by HUMANWIRTSCHAFT |
Parties in East Germany
Bloc | Logo | Name | Abbr. | Ideology | Note | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
National Front | Socialist Unity Party of Germany Sozialistische Einheitspartei Deutschland |
SED | Stalinism Communism Marxism-Leninism |
"Leading Role" per 1968 Constitution, succeeded by PDS | |||
Christian Democratic Union of Germany Christlich-Demokratische Union Deutschlands |
CDUD | Christian socialism Social conservatism |
Merged into the CDU | ||||
Liberal Democratic Party of Germany Liberal-Demokratische Partei Deutschlands |
LDPD | Liberal socialism | Merged into Association of Free Democrats (partly) | ||||
Democratic Farmers' Party of Germany Demokratische Bauernpartei Deutschlands |
DBD | Agrarianism Agrarian socialism |
Merged into CDUD | ||||
National Democratic Party of Germany National-Demokratische Partei Deutschlands |
NDPD | Conservatism National conservatism Socialism |
Merged into FDP |
During transition (1989–90)
Parties in the Saar Protectorate
Name | Abbr. | Ideology | Active | Note | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Christian People's Party of Saarland Christliche Volkspartei des Saarlandes |
CVP | Christian democracy Conservatism |
1946–1959 | Later merged with the CDU | |
Christian Social Union Christlich-Soziale Union |
CSU-S | Christian democracy Conservatism |
1955–1959 | Unofficial counterpart of the CSU | |
Communist Party of Saarland Kommunistische Partei Saar |
KP | Communism Marxism-Leninism |
1945–1957 | Counterpart of the KPD | |
Democratic Party of Saarland Demokratische Partei des Saarlandes |
DPS | Conservative liberalism National conservatism |
1946–1957 | Later merged into the FDP | |
German Democratic Union Deutsche Demokratische Union |
DDU | Left-wing politics | 1955–1968 | Later merged with the DFU | |
German Social Democratic Party Deutsche Demokratische Union |
DSP | Social democracy | 1952–1956 | Split from the SPS, later merged with the SPD | |
Social Democratic Party of Saarland Sozialdemokratische Partei des Saarlandes |
SPS | Social democracy Democratic Socialism |
1946–1956 | Counterpart of the SPD | |
Supranational European People's Party Saar Übernationale Europäische Volkspartei saar |
ÜEVPS | 1955–? |
Parties in Weimar Republic
Parties founded before World War I
See also
- Lists of political parties; categories by country and ideology.
- History of Germany since 1945
- Liberalism in Germany
References
- ↑ "Chronik: Bundestagswahlen von 1949 bis 2002 | Deutschland | Deutsche Welle | 02.10.2005". Archived from the original on 8 November 2008. Retrieved 10 October 2009.
- ↑ "Political parties form colorful spectrum in Germany". Deutsche Welle. 18 August 2009. Retrieved 12 September 2009.
- ↑ The Green party: Getting used to opposition, Deutsche Welle, 24 August 2009, retrieved 12 October 2009,
This made a so-called Jamaica coalition with the Christian Democratic Union and the Free Democratic Party impossible.
- ↑ Skiadas, Christos H.; Bozeman, James R. (7 March 2019). "14: Visualizing the Political Spectrum of Germany by Contiguously Ordering the Party Policy Profiles". John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781119579533. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
- ↑ https://zeitpunkt.ch/bund-fuer-freiheit-und-humanitaet-die-vielleicht-kleinste-partei-deutschlands-will-einen
External links
- Political Parties (Germany) - List of German political parties since 1949
- Collection of recognized political parties by the Federal Returning Office (in German)
- Overview of the elections since 1946 (Übersicht der Wahlen seit 1946) on the website of the Tagesschau - Election results in Germany since 1946 on state, federal and European levels (German descriptions, but graphics and data can be accessed without these).