Unconventional Activities: Breaking Norms and Testing Boundaries
In the political arena of Germany, the landscape has undergone significant changes over the years, with new parties emerging and others fading away. Between 2022 and 2024, no entirely new major political parties were founded, with existing parties like Die Linke and the Sahra Wagenknecht-founded Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) remaining active. Notably, BSW narrowly failed to pass the 5% threshold in the 2025 federal election, while Die Linke maintained a left-wing, democratic-socialist position with increased parliamentary presence.
Looking back, the German political landscape bears some resemblance to the periods of the German Empire and the Weimar Republic. Both eras accommodated social democratic, Catholic, liberal, and conservative parties. However, the Weimar Republic also included extreme formations like the NSDAP and KPD, while some ethnic and regional groupings disappeared.
The Weimar Republic, much like the current political climate, was characterized by a multitude of parties. Parties were necessary for forming the government, but the first coalition (SPD, Centre, and DDP) lost its majority in the first Reichstag election of 1920 and did not regain it. The red-green-yellow coalition was an option, but three-party coalitions inherently have more potential for conflict.
The German reunification in 1990 led to a five-party system, with the Union and Social Democrats shedding ideological baggage and developing a high degree of voter integration. However, since reunification, the membership numbers of the two major parties have declined significantly.
In recent years, new parties such as "Bündnis Deutschland", "Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht", "Democratic Alliance for Diversity and Renewal", and "Values Union" have sprouted up, adding to the already diverse political landscape. One of the most notable new parties is the "Alternative for Germany" (AfD), founded in 2013, which developed into a successful party on the right-wing fringe and is currently represented in the Bundestag.
Interestingly, the Greens entered the federal parliament in 1983 and 1987, only available for cooperation with the SPD, gradually leading to a system of two blocks. This system was disrupted when "The Left" (originally the Party of Democratic Socialism, which emerged from the SED) entered the parliamentary scene. The old feud between communists and social democrats quickly flared up again, but the liberals united in one party, initially under different names.
The traffic light coalition formed after the 2021 federal election was not expected by the augurs, indicating a shift in the political landscape that continues to evolve. The presence of parties like Die Linke and the AfD makes it more difficult for new governments to form in the Bundestag, highlighting the challenges of maintaining a balanced and representative political system.
Voters are no longer clear before the election about which parties intend to form alliances with each other, a stark contrast to the past when voters knew more or less reliably who would coalition with whom, voting not only for a party but also, in essence, for a government. After World War I, the Allies had a cautious licensing practice of parties, establishing a constellation of four parties: SPD, KPD, Union, and FDP.
The role of the Reich President, as exemplified by Paul von Hindenburg, who was elected in 1925 and 1932, as a crisis institution, is a stark reminder of the potential power held by such figures. Hindenburg's leadership ultimately led to the appointment of Hitler as Reich Chancellor, a decision that changed the course of German history.
As Germany continues to navigate its political landscape, it is essential to learn from the past and strive for a balanced and representative system that truly reflects the will of the people.
