TY - JOUR

T1 - Populism Personified or Reinvigorated Reformers?

T2 - The German Left Party in 2009 and Beyond

AU - Hough, Dan

AU - Koß, Michael

PY - 2009/6/1

Y1 - 2009/6/1

N2 - Despite its recent electoral successes, the Left Party's position in the German party system is more fragile that it may at first appear. The Left Party gained support in 2005 largely on account of dissatisfaction with other parties and not because masses of voters were flocking to its (nominally socialist) cause. Not even a majority from within its own supporter base thought it possessed "significant problem solving competences." Rather, much of the Left Party's political discourse is based on negative dismissals of much that it sees—in policy terms—before it. We discuss the Left Party's political development through the prism of populist politics. After outlining what we understand populism to mean, we analyze the Left Party's programmatic stances and political strategy within the context of this framework. Although populism is certainly not the sole preserve of the Left Party, it clearly excels in using populist tools to make political headway. We conclude by discussing the ramifications that this has for German party politics in general and for the Social Democratic Party in particular.

AB - Despite its recent electoral successes, the Left Party's position in the German party system is more fragile that it may at first appear. The Left Party gained support in 2005 largely on account of dissatisfaction with other parties and not because masses of voters were flocking to its (nominally socialist) cause. Not even a majority from within its own supporter base thought it possessed "significant problem solving competences." Rather, much of the Left Party's political discourse is based on negative dismissals of much that it sees—in policy terms—before it. We discuss the Left Party's political development through the prism of populist politics. After outlining what we understand populism to mean, we analyze the Left Party's programmatic stances and political strategy within the context of this framework. Although populism is certainly not the sole preserve of the Left Party, it clearly excels in using populist tools to make political headway. We conclude by discussing the ramifications that this has for German party politics in general and for the Social Democratic Party in particular.

KW - Politics

KW - Left Party

KW - Populism

KW - Party politics

KW - social democratic party of germany

KW - wasg

U2 - 10.3167/gps.2009.270206

DO - 10.3167/gps.2009.270206

M3 - Critical reviews

VL - 27

SP - 76

EP - 91

JO - German Politics and Society

JF - German Politics and Society

SN - 1045-0300

IS - 2

ER -