List of political parties in Germany

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).

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This is a list of political parties in Germany.

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 again since 2013, the federal government consisted of a coalition of the two major parties, called Grand Coalition.[1] Coalitions in the Bundestag and state legislators 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]

The parties

Parties represented in the Bundestag and/or the European Parliament
Name Abbr. Leader Ideology MdBs MEPs Political position EP group
Union[A]
Christian Democratic Union of Germany
Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands		 CDU Armin Laschet Christian democracy,[4]
Liberal conservatism[4]
200 / 709
23 / 96
 Centre-right EPP
Christian Social Union in Bavaria
Christlich-Soziale Union in Bayern		 CSU Markus Söder Christian democracy,[4] Conservatism,[4] Regionalism[4]
46 / 709
6 / 96
 Centre-right[5][6][7] EPP
Social Democratic Party of Germany
Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands		 SPD Norbert Walter-Borjans and Saskia Esken Social democracy[4]
152 / 709
16 / 96
 Centre-left S&D
Alternative for Germany
Alternative für Deutschland		 AfD Jörg Meuthen and Tino Chrupalla German nationalism,[8][9]
Euroscepticism,[10]
National conservatism,[11]
Right-wing populism[12]
92 / 709
11 / 96
 Right-wing[13] to far-right ID
Free Democratic Party
Freie Demokratische Partei		 FDP Christian Lindner Liberalism,[4]
Classical liberalism[14][15]
80 / 709
5 / 96
 Centre to centre-right RE
The Left
Die Linke		 LINKE Katja Kipping and Bernd Riexinger Democratic socialism[4]
69 / 709
7 / 96
 Left-wing GUE/NGL
Alliance 90/The Greens
Bündnis 90/Die Grünen		 GRÜNE Annalena Baerbock and Robert Habeck Green politics[4]
67 / 709
21 / 96
 Centre-left Greens/EFA
Free Voters
Freie Wähler		 FREIE WÄHLER Hubert Aiwanger Regionalism
0 / 709
2 / 96
 Centre-right RE
Die PARTEI
Partei für Arbeit, Rechtsstaat, Tierschutz, Elitenförderung und basisdemokratische Initiative		 Die PARTEI Martin Sonneborn Satire
0 / 709
2 / 96
 Apolitical None and Greens/EFA
Ecological Democratic Party
Ökologisch-Demokratische Partei		 ÖDP Christoph Raabs Green conservatism[10]
0 / 709
1 / 96
 Centre-right Greens/EFA
Pirate Party Germany
Piratenpartei Deutschland		 PIRATEN Carsten Sawosch Pirate politics,
Social liberalism[11]
0 / 709
1 / 96
 Syncretic Greens/EFA
Volt Germany
Volt Deutschland		 Volt Damian Boeselager European federalism
0 / 709
1 / 96
 Syncretic Greens/EFA
Family Party of Germany
Familien-Partei Deutschlands		 Familie Maria Hartmann Conservatism
Social conservatism
Christian democracy
0 / 709
1 / 96
 Centre-right to right-wing ECR
A The CDU and CSU form the CDU/CSU group in the Bundestag; CSU runs only in Bavaria, CDU elsewhere.

Parties represented in state parliaments
Logo Name Abbr. Leader Ideology Elected in state (Seats) Position Notes
South Schleswig Voters' Association
Südschleswigscher Wählerverband		 SSW Flemming Meyer Regionalism,
Ethnic minority politics,
Social liberalism[16]		 Schleswig-Holstein (3) Centre [A]
Citizens in Rage
Bürger in Wut		 BIW Jan Timke Right-wing populism Bremen (1) Right-wing
Brandenburg United Civic Movements/Free Voters
Brandenburger Vereinigte Bürgerbewegungen / Freie Wähler		 BVB / FW Péter Vida Localism, Direct democracy Brandenburg (3) Centre-left
A Represents the Danish and Frisian minorities. Not subject to the general requirement of passing a 5% vote threshold.

Minor parties
Logo Name Abbr. Leader Ideology Political position EP-group
Action Party for Animal Welfare - the Original
Aktion Partei für Tierschutz – das Original		 Tierschutz hier!
Alliance C – Christians for Germany
Bündnis C – Christen für Deutschland		 Bündnis C Karin Heepen & Ole Steffes Conservatism,
Christian fundamentalism		 Right-wing ECPM
Alliance for Human Rights, Animal and Nature Conservation
Allianz für Menschenrechte, Tier- und Naturschutz		 Tierschutzallianz Josef Fassl
Alliance of German Democrats
Allianz Deutscher Demokraten		 AD-Demokraten Ramazan Akbaş Conservatism,
Political Islam
Anarchist Pogo Party of Germany
Anarchistische Pogo-Partei Deutschlands		 APPD Peter Vehreschild Satire Apoliticism none
Arminus - Association of the German people[17]
Arminus – Bund des deutschen Volkes		 Arminus – Bund Johann Thießen Far-right[17]
Basic Income Alliance
Bündnis Grundeinkommen		 BGE Carl-Richard Klütsch Unconditional basic income Single-issue none
Bavaria Party
Bayernpartei		 BP Florian Weber Autonomism,
Bavarian nationalism,
Regionalism,
Conservatism		 Centre-right EFA
Bergpartei, die "ÜberPartei"
Bergpartei, die Überpartei		 B* Rico Tscharntke Post-left anarchy,
Dadaism		 Far-left none
Civil Rights Movement Solidarity
Bürgerrechtsbewegung Solidarität		 BüSo Helga Zepp-LaRouche LaRouche movement,
Conspiracism		 Syncretic none
German Centre Party
Deutsche Zentrumspartei		 ZENTRUM Gerhard Woitzik Political Catholicism,
Christian democracy,
Social conservatism		 Centrism none
Communist Party of Germany
Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands		 KPD Torsten Schöwitz Communism,
Marxism–Leninism,
Anti-Revisionism,
Stalinism		 Far-left none
Democracy in Motion
Demokratie in Bewegung
 DiB Julia Beerhold, Alexander Plitsch Left-wing none
Feminist Party of Germany
Feministische Partei Die Frauen		 DIE FRAUEN Renate Schmidtsdorff-Aicher Feminism none
From Now on... Democracy Through a Referendum
Ab jetzt … Demokratie durch Volksabstimmung		 Volksabstimmung Helmut Fleck Direct Democracy none
German Communist Party
Deutsche Kommunistische Partei		 DKP Patrik Köbele Communism,
Marxism–Leninism		 Far-left none
German Social Union
Deutsche Soziale Union		 DSU Roberto Rink National conservatism,
Social conservatism		 Right-wing none
Lusatian Alliance
Lausitzer Allianz
Łužiska Alianca
Łužyska Alianca		 Hannes Wilhelm-Kell Regionalism,
Progressivism,
Ethnic minority interests		 none
Marxist–Leninist Party of Germany
Marxistisch-Leninistische Partei Deutschlands		 MLPD Gabi Fechtner Marxism–Leninism,
Anti-Revisionism,
Communism		 Far-left none
Mindful Democrats
Achtsame Demokraten		 Die Achtsamen
mut
mut		 mut Claudia Stamm Social liberalism Centre-left none
National Democratic Party of Germany
Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands		 NPD Frank Franz Neo-Nazism,
Ultranationalism,
Pan-Germanism,
Anti-immigration,
Revanchism		 Far-right[10] APF
New Liberals
Neue Liberale – Die Sozialliberalen		 Liberale Christian Bethke Social liberalism Centre to
centre-left		 none
Party for Franconia
Partei für Franken		 DIE FRANKEN Robert Gattenlöhner Social democracy none
Party of Humanists
Partei der Humanisten		 Die Humanisten Robin Thiedmann Humanism,
Secularism,
Civil libertarianism,
Social liberalism		 none
Party of Reason
Partei der Vernunft		 PDV Friedrich Dominicus Libertarianism EPIL
Human Environment Animal Protection
Partei Mensch Umwelt Tierschutz		 Tierschutzpartei Matthias Ebner
Sandra Lück
Horst Wester		 Animal rights
Environmentalism		 Syncretic GUE/NGL
Socialist Equality Party
Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei		 SGP Ulrich Rippert Trotskyism Far-left none
Social Liberal Democratic Party
Sozialliberale Demokratische Partei		 SLDP Bérangère Bultheel Social liberalism, Anti fascism, Secularism, Social Democracy, European Federalism
The Frisians
Die Friesen		 FRIESEN Ralf Bieneck Ethnic minority interests EFA
The III. Path
Der III. Weg		 Klaus Armstroff Neo-Nazism,
German nationalism,
Ethnic nationalism,
Hard Euroscepticism		 Far-right none
The Republicans
Die Republikaner		 REP Kevin Krieger German nationalism,
National conservatism,
Euroscepticism,
Social conservatism		 Right-wing none
The Right
Die Rechte		 Christian Worch Neo-Nazism,
Ultranationalism,
Pan-Germanism,
Anti-immigration,
Revisionism		 Far-right none
The Urbans. A HipHop Party
Die Urbane. Eine HipHop Partei
 du Niki Drakos, Raphael Hillebrand none
The Violets
Die Violetten		 Die Violetten Irene Garcia Garcia Social liberalism,
Spiritualism		 none
V-Partei³ – Party for Change, Vegetarians and Vegans
V-Partei³ – Partei für Veränderung, Vegetarier und Veganer		 V³ Roland Wegner Animal rights,
Environmentalism		 none

Historical parties

Parties existing up to World War I
Logo Name Abbr. Ideology
Bavarian Peasants' League BB Agrarianism
Centre Party Zentrum Christian democracy
Christian Social Party CSP Traditionalist conservatism
Christian democracy
Anti-Semitism
Democratic Union DV Liberalism
Laïcité
Free Conservative Party FKP National conservatism
Free-minded People's Party FVP Liberalism
Progressivism
Parliamentarism
Laïcité
Free-minded Union FV National liberalism
General German Workers' Association ADAV Social democracy
Democratic socialism
German Conservative Party DKP Conservatism
Economic liberalism
Anti-Catholicism
German Fatherland Party DVLP German nationalism
Monarchism
Militarism
Volksgemeinschaft
German-Hanoverian Party DHP Conservatism
Federalism
German People's Party DtVP Social liberalism
Federalism
Laïcité
Parliamentarism
German Progress Party DFP Liberalism
Federalism
German Free-minded Party DFP Liberalism
Progressivism
Parliamentarism
Laïcité
Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany USPD Democratic socialism
Centrist Marxism
Pacifism
Liberal Union LV Liberalism
Parliamentarism
Classical liberalism
Economic liberalism
Conservative liberalism
National Liberal Party NLP National liberalism
National-Social Association NSV Christian socialism
Social liberalism
Nationalism
Progressive People's Party FVP Social liberalism
Parliamentarism
Laïcité
Social Democratic Party of Germany SPD Social democracy
Social Democratic Workers' Party of Germany SDAP Social democracy
Marxist socialism

Parties in Weimar Republic
Main article: Weimar political parties

Defunct parties in (former) West Germany

Parties banned by the Constitutional Court

Bloc parties in the socialist state (1949–1989)

During transition (1989–90)

Parties founded from 1989

See also

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-11-08. Retrieved 2009-10-10.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "Political parties form colorful spectrum in Germany". Deutsche Welle. 2009-08-18. Retrieved 2009-09-12.
  3. The Green party: Getting used to opposition, Deutsche Welle, 2009-08-24, retrieved 2009-10-12, This made a so-called Jamaica coalition with the Christian Democratic Union and the Free Democratic Party impossible.
  4. Parties and Elections in Europe: The database about parliamentary elections and political parties in Europe, by Wolfram Nordsieck
  5. Christina Boswell; Dan Hough (2009). Politicizing migration: Opportunity or liability for the centre-right in Germany. Immigration and Integration Policy in Europe: Why Politics – and the Centre-Right – matter. Routledge. pp. 18, 21.
  6. Klaus Detterbeck (2012). Multi-Level Party Politics in Western Europe. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 105.
  7. Margret Hornsteiner; Thomas Saalfeld (2014). Parties and the Party System. Developments in German Politics. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 80.
  8. "After migrants, German nationalist party takes aim at Islam". Yahoo News. 23 May 2016.
  9. "Germany's Nationalist Party Set for Gains as Three States Vote". Voice of America. 11 March 2016.
  10. William T Daniel (2015). Career Behaviour and the European Parliament: All Roads Lead Through Brussels?. Oxford University Press. p. 135. ISBN 978-0-19-871640-2.
  11. Simon Franzmann (2015). "The Failed Struggle for Office Instead of Votes". In Gabriele D'Ottavio; Thomas Saalfeld (eds.). Germany After the 2013 Elections: Breaking the Mould of Post-Unification Politics?. Ashgate. pp. 166–167. ISBN 978-1-4724-4439-4.
  12. Frank Decker (2015). "Follow-up to the Grand Coalition: The Germany Party System before and after the 2013 Federal Election". In Eric Langenbacher (ed.). The Merkel Republic: An Appraisal. Berghahn Books. pp. 34–39. ISBN 978-1-78238-896-8.
  13. "Right-wing Alternative for Germany Party scores shock results in three German regions".
  14. George C. Lodge; Ezra F. Vogel (1987). Ideology and National Competitiveness: An Analysis of Nine Countries. Harvard Business Press. p. 85. ISBN 978-0-87584-147-2.
  15. Russell A. Berman (2010). Freedom Or Terror: Europe Faces Jihad. Hoover Press. p. 110. ISBN 978-0-8179-1114-0.
  16. José Magone (2011). Contemporary European Politics: A Comparative Introduction. Routledge. p. 392.
  17. Wagschal, Prof Dr Uwe. "Arminus - Bund des deutschen Volkes (Arminus - Bund) | bpb". bpb.de (in German). Retrieved 2020-06-14.
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