I’m just trying to figure out why it might be that Linke and AfD seem more or less to share areas, while the Union, SPD, and Greens take the rest. Why Linke and not Green, for example?
Die Linke is the most leftwing party in the current and upcoming governments. Though, because of how right-shifted the overton window is in this country, that doesn’t mean they’re radicals. Their policies are still basically just social democracy. They’re also basically the party of east German cities. The east German countryside votes for the AfD.
And the Greens in Germany are a center-right party, further right thank the SPD. They’re very militaristic, extremely pro-Israel, in favor of repressing democratic protests at home… They’re not that far from the label of “eco-fascist”, except in practice without the “eco” part. Still, they get a lot of votes from well-meaning moderates who don’t look to hard (or at all) at what the party stands for or dies and just vote for them because of the vibes.
After reunification, the Eastern German ruling party SED evolved into PDS. In 2005, PDS and the left-wing of the SPD formed Die Linke.
Because of this, Die Linke is more popular in the East. They are seen as anti-establishment and have regularly brought attention to issues Eastern Germany faced, so they are more popular there.
Vice versa, they aren’t nearly as established in the West as the other parties.
Centre left, as in to the right of the Greens?
I’m just trying to figure out why it might be that Linke and AfD seem more or less to share areas, while the Union, SPD, and Greens take the rest. Why Linke and not Green, for example?
Die Linke is the most leftwing party in the current and upcoming governments. Though, because of how right-shifted the overton window is in this country, that doesn’t mean they’re radicals. Their policies are still basically just social democracy. They’re also basically the party of east German cities. The east German countryside votes for the AfD.
And the Greens in Germany are a center-right party, further right thank the SPD. They’re very militaristic, extremely pro-Israel, in favor of repressing democratic protests at home… They’re not that far from the label of “eco-fascist”, except in practice without the “eco” part. Still, they get a lot of votes from well-meaning moderates who don’t look to hard (or at all) at what the party stands for or dies and just vote for them because of the vibes.
The Linke is an Eastern German party.
After reunification, the Eastern German ruling party SED evolved into PDS. In 2005, PDS and the left-wing of the SPD formed Die Linke.
Because of this, Die Linke is more popular in the East. They are seen as anti-establishment and have regularly brought attention to issues Eastern Germany faced, so they are more popular there.
Vice versa, they aren’t nearly as established in the West as the other parties.
Ah thanks, that’s some really useful context.