Political polarization in Germany has increased over many years.
However, the corona pandemic does not appear to have exacerbated the divide.
But not all seek compromises.
Berlin - political polarization scared.
The division into camps can endanger a peaceful society and democracy.
In election campaigns, for example, it is said that parties have to polarize, but then the main thing is to point out differences and contradictions.
When it comes to the deep polarization of society, the US is more likely to be used as an example.
There is high mistrust and rejection of the other side, and the rhetoric is sharp.
Study by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation examines political polarization in Germany
In Germany, too, there are increasing debates about the state of the country. How strongly is German society politically polarized? What has changed in recent years - also due to the corona pandemic? The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung pursued these questions in a representative study entitled “Political Polarization in Germany”, which was published at the end of November 2021.
The result of the study by the CDU-affiliated * foundation is itself divided.
According to the authors, there are no indications of a deep divide between large parts of society.
When it comes to political views, a majority tend to be in the middle.
According to the author Jochen Roose, election and social researcher, there are no clear camps among the party supporters - rather, there are some political overlaps.
The openness towards people with different political views is there, he also noted a willingness to compromise.
A large majority even rejects polarization.
All of this speaks for a low level of polarization in Germany.
Not all are willing to compromise: "Unequally large sections of society face each other"
But the study organizers also emphasized something else.
"The spectrum of opinion and the differences of opinion between party supporters have diverged in the last few years in a way that has not existed for a long time," says the study.
Not all are involved in the political discourse or are open to compromises.
Part of the opinion and party spectrum is excluded and self-exclusive, the study continues.
This shows at least a polarization tendency.
"It is on a different level than is the case in the USA *, for example, but in Germany too, sections of society, very unequal sections, face each other for political reasons, perhaps not irreconcilably - but maybe", Roose says .
Notes on analysis
The study by the Konrad-Adenauer Foundation refers to two representative, telephone surveys and 68 guideline-based, qualitative in-depth interviews as well as 24 group discussions. On the one hand, a total of 3,250 people were interviewed for the surveys from October 2019 to February 2020. Changes caused by the corona pandemic should be determined by contacting another 1,521 people by phone from August to September 2020. The surveys were carried out by the survey institute Infratest dimap, the qualitative interviews by Mauss Research. The foundation also evaluated other representative surveys.
As mentioned, a majority continues to represent middle positions.
But marginal positions, especially left-wing positions, have increased in recent years.
In terms of content, large parts of the supporters of the Greens * and Left * on the one hand and the AfD on the other side would be on the margins.
There are clear differences, for example, in social, climate and migration policies and attitudes towards the role of women.
Supporters of the AfD * and the left are a little less willing to compromise, according to the study authors.
Study on political polarization: rich / poor, migration policy and climate protection lead to discussions
According to the respondents, the topics of migration policy and climate protection, supplemented by the contrast between rich and poor, often lead to friction and intensify polarization. However, breaking off contact with family or friends due to political disagreements seems rare. According to the study, only 13 percent fully or completely agree with the statement “I broke off contact with certain people because of their political views”. Supporters of the Left, the Greens and the SPD are more likely to pull the rip cord.
Interesting: This general proportion has not changed in the corona pandemic *.
Overall, the study says that the corona pandemic does not seem to have increased polarization.
The perceived polarization has even decreased.
The approval of the statement "In our society today, people face each other irreconcilably" decreased from 41 percent (fully or completely agree) before the pandemic to 31 percent during the pandemic.
On the other hand, the behavior of many people is perceived as inconsiderate.
"When asked directly, many cannot see an increase in social cohesion," it also says.
Polarization tendencies are always risky developments.
Jochen Roose, Election and Social Research at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation
So there is still more talk of a trend.
But the author points out that polarizations started small in other countries as well.
But: Already earlier there were similar classifications and isolation of the camps in this country.
In Germany there is still a strong willingness to compromise, proportional representation has a more balancing effect, and the welfare state cushions a lot.
Even if these classifications have to be considered for the interpretation and political competition always pushes for differences, polarizations elsewhere could no longer be stopped at some point.
"Polarization tendencies are therefore always risky developments," says Roose.
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