Bullettin n. 1/2011
June 2011
CONTENTS
  • Section A) The theory and practise of the federal states and multi-level systems of government
  • Section B) Global governance and international organizations
  • Section C) Regional integration processes
  • Section D) Federalism as a political idea
    • Jun Uwe
    Volksparteien under Pressure: Challenges and Adaptation
    in German Politics , Volume 20, Issue 1, Special Issue: The German Election of 2009 ,  2011 ,  200-222
    The result of the 2009 Bundestag election strengthened the chorus of observers diagnosing the demise of the 'Volksparteien' (catch-all parties). Both German catch-all parties, the Christian Democratic CDU/CSU and the Social Democratic SPD, are under enormous pressure, which is reflected in standard quantitative data: the catch-all parties are losing voters both in absolute numbers and in terms of their share of the vote; they are losing party members; and they are losing public confidence regarding their perceived ability to solve important political and social problems. Apparently, the basic political idea of Volksparteien, namely vertically and horizontally to integrate different interests, ideas, social groups, opinions and trends, is less and less in demand in society. This article discusses the various, partially contradictory but mostly complementary, theories that seek to explain the downward trend of the Volksparteien. The article shows how the catch-all parties are attempting to address these detrimental developments in terms of both their organisation and strategies.
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