Germany: Political parties at a glance

Parties in comparison

Liberal

Socialist

Capitalist

Conservative

CDU/CSU AfD SPD Grüne Linke FDP Piraten Tier

Explanation of the chart

The graph shows the economic orientation of the parties on the X-axis from left to right. The further left, the more actively the state should intervene via taxes, regulations and redistribution. The further to the right, the less the state should intervene.

On the Y-axis from top to bottom, the parties are categorized according to their life models. The further up a party, the more it prioritizes liberal lifestyles over traditional views and material goods. The further down, the more a party aligns itself with traditional lifestyles and sees the state as the moral authority for living together.

Data was collected through the 2019 Chapel Hill Expert Survey by more than 400 policy experts. Party positions may change over time. Therefore, the chart serves only as an overview and cannot make statements about specific political topics.

Ryan Bakker, Liesbet Hooghe, Seth Jolly, Gary Marks, Jonathan Polk, Jan Rovny, Marco Steenbergen, and Milada Anna Vachudova. 2020. “2019 Chapel Hill Expert Survey.” - University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

CDU/CSU

Christian Democratic Union of Germany

Centre-right

EPP

EU Parliament

27.3

Election Trend

Result of the last parliamentary election: 28.5%

Part of the Government

The CDU (Christian Democratic Union) and the CSU (Christian Social Union) are two independent political parties in Germany that jointly operate as 'the Union'. The CDU is active in all federal states except Bavaria, while the CSU operates exclusively in Bavaria. Both parties represent Christian-democratic and conservative values and have led the federal government multiple times. Historically, they originated in the post-war period and have since had significant influence on German politics.

SPD

Social Democratic Party of Germany

Centre-left

S&D

EU Parliament

15.3

Election Trend

Result of the last parliamentary election: 16.4%

Part of the Government

The Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) is one of the oldest political parties in Germany with over 150 years of history. It advocates for social justice, solidarity, and a fair distribution of wealth. Historically emerged from the labor movement, the SPD has led the federal government several times and implemented significant reforms in areas such as social policy and workers' rights.

AfD

Alternative for Germany

Right-wing

ESN

EU Parliament

23.2

Election Trend

Result of the last parliamentary election: 20.8%

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is a conservative party founded in 2013, which is seen by many as right-wing populist. It gained significance through its criticism of the Euro rescue policy and its strict stance on migration. Since 2017, the AfD has been represented in the Bundestag and achieves particularly high election results in East Germany. Its program includes, among other things, skepticism towards the European Union, rejection of the political establishment, and a conservative social policy. Since May 2025, the party has been classified as definitely right-wing extremist by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution.

Grüne

Alliance ’90/The Greens

Environment & Climate

G/EFA

EU Parliament

11.4

Election Trend

Result of the last parliamentary election: 11.6%

Alliance 90/The Greens, short the Greens, is a German political party that advocates for environmental protection, social justice, and a sustainable economy. Founded in 1980, it emerged from the environmental and peace movement. The Greens emphasize the expansion of renewable energies, climate protection, and the promotion of equality. With around 130,000 members, they are among the larger parties in Germany.

Die Linke

The Left

Left-wing

LEFT

EU Parliament

10.3

Election Trend

Result of the last parliamentary election: 8.8%

The Left is a German political party that was formed in 2007 from the merger of the Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS) and the Electoral Alternative for Labor and Social Justice (WASG). It represents socialist and democratic-socialist positions and advocates for social justice, peace, and ecological sustainability. The Left is represented in the Bundestag as well as in several state parliaments and is committed to a fairer distribution of wealth and resources in Germany.

Südschleswigscher Wählerverband

Southern Schleswig Voters' Association

Regional interests

EU Parliament

Election Trend

Result of the last parliamentary election: 0.1%

The South Schleswig Voter Federation (SSW) is a political party in Schleswig-Holstein that has represented the interests of the Danish and Frisian minorities since 1948. As a minority party, the SSW is exempt from the five-percent threshold and advocates for decentralized, citizen-oriented politics that draw on Scandinavian models. In addition to representation in the Parliament of Schleswig-Holstein, the SSW has also been represented in the German Bundestag since 2021.

BSW

Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht

Transversal

EU Parliament

3.9

Election Trend

Result of the last parliamentary election: 4.9%

The Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) is a political party founded in January 2024 in Germany, initiated by former Left politician Sahra Wagenknecht. The party positions itself as left-populist with conservative elements and aims for social justice, economic reason, and a peace-oriented foreign policy. BSW criticizes the current climate policy and demands stronger state control over large corporations. Since its founding, the party has achieved significant electoral successes in several East German federal states and is represented in some state parliaments.

Bayernpartei

Bavarian Party

Right-wing

EU Parliament

Election Trend

Result of the last parliamentary election: 0.1%

The Bavaria Party (BP) is a political party in Bavaria that advocates for more federalism, direct democracy, and the sovereignty of Bavaria. Founded in 1946, it experienced its heyday in the 1950s with representatives in the German Bundestag and the Bavarian State Parliament. Today, the BP pursues moderated regionalism and aspires for the long-term independence of Bavaria within Europe, based on a democratic referendum.

Bündnis C

Bündnis C – Christen für Deutschland

Unknown

EU Parliament

Election Trend

Result of the last parliamentary election: 0.1%

Alliance C - Christians for Germany is a Christian democratic small party that was founded in 2015 through the merger of the Bible-Faithful Christians party and the AUF - Party for Labor, Environment, and Family. The party is programmatically oriented towards the Apostolic Creed as well as the Bible and advocates for politics based on Christian principles. Its focuses lie in family and social policy, emphasizing traditional values. Alliance C is a member of the European Christian Political Movement and is active at the state, federal, and European level.

Bündnis Deutschland

Alliance Germany

Centre-right

EU Parliament

Election Trend

Result of the last parliamentary election: 0%

Alliance Germany is a political party founded in November 2022 in Germany, positioning itself as right-conservative and economically liberal. It emerged from a collection movement and aims to fill a gap in the political spectrum between the CDU and the AfD. The party values qualified candidates, scientific advice, and political integrity. Through the merger with the voter association Citizens in Anger, Alliance Germany has been represented in the Bremen Parliament since June 2023 with seven representatives.

Bürgerrechtsbewegung Solidarität

Unknown

EU Parliament

Election Trend

Result of the last parliamentary election: 0%

Bürgerrechtsbewegung Solidarität is a party from Germany.

Die PARTEI

Party for Labour, Rule of Law, Animal Protection, Promotion of Elites and Grassroots Democratic Initiative

Satire

EU Parliament

Election Trend

Result of the last parliamentary election: 0.5%

The PARTEI (Party for Work, Rule of Law, Animal Protection, Elite Promotion and Grassroots Democratic Initiative) is a small German party founded in 2004 by editors of the satirical magazine Titanic. It uses satirical means to criticize political grievances and raise awareness of social issues. Despite its satirical approach, it actively participates in elections and was able to win two seats in the European Parliament in the 2019 European elections. Its chairman is Martin Sonneborn.

FDP

Free Democratic Party

Team Todenhöfer

Team Todenhöfer - The Justice Party

Transversal

EU Parliament

Election Trend

Result of the last parliamentary election: 0.5%

Team Todenhöfer - The Justice Party was founded by Jürgen Todenhöfer in November 2020. The party is committed to reducing bureaucracy, ending all foreign deployments of the German armed forces and banning arms exports to crisis regions. It achieved 0.5% of the vote in the 2021 Bundestag elections. The party also calls for term limits for politicians and the abolition of church tax.

Tierschutzpartei

Animal Welfare Party

Animal Protection

LEFT

EU Parliament

Election Trend

Result of the last parliamentary election: 1%

The Party for Human, Environment and Animal Protection, known as the Animal Protection Party, was founded in 1993 and advocates for animal protection, environmental protection, and social justice. It demands, among other things, the inclusion of animal rights in the Basic Law, a ban on animal testing and factory farming, as well as the promotion of plant-based nutrition. The party is represented in all 16 federal states with state associations and has continuously held a mandate in the European Parliament since 2014.

Volt

Centre-left

G/EFA

EU Parliament

Election Trend

Result of the last parliamentary election: 0.7%

Volt Germany is a social-liberal and pro-European party that advocates for a deepened European integration and federal structures. Founded in 2018 as part of the pan-European movement Volt Europa, it aims for reforms in areas such as climate protection, digitization, and social justice. In the 2024 European elections, Volt Germany achieved 2.6% of the votes and won three seats in the European Parliament.

WerteUnion

Right-wing

EU Parliament

Election Trend

Result of the last parliamentary election: 0%

The WerteUnion is a German small party founded in 2024 with a conservative profile. Originally formed as an association within the CDU/CSU, it developed into an independent party under the leadership of Hans-Georg Maaßen. The WerteUnion positions itself to the right of the Union and aims for a return to traditional conservative values. It emphasizes topics such as national sovereignty, a restrictive migration policy, and economic liberalism. Its influence on German politics is currently limited, and it competes with the AfD and the Union parties.

die Basis

Basic Democratic Party Germany

Unknown

EU Parliament

Election Trend

Result of the last parliamentary election: 1.4%

The Basis-Democratic Party of Germany, short dieBasis, was founded in July 2020 and emphasizes basis-democratic principles. It emerged in the context of protests against the COVID-19 measures and is considered the political arm of the 'Querdenken' movement. The party advocates for freedom, mindfulness, power limitation, and collective intelligence. In the federal election of 2021, it received 1.4% of the votes but failed to enter the Bundestag.

ÖDP

Ecological Democratic Party

Environment & Climate

EPP

EU Parliament

Election Trend

Result of the last parliamentary election: 0.2%

The Ecological-Democratic Party (ÖDP) is a small German party that emerged from the ecological movement in 1981. It focuses on environmental and family policy, criticism of growth, and the promotion of direct democracy. The ÖDP rejects corporate donations and advocates for a sustainable economic approach. It is particularly active at the local level in Bavaria, where it was able to secure a mandate in the European Parliament for the first time in 2014.