Zerfällt die demokratische Mitte in den europäischen Parteiensystemen?

Since the 1970s, the party systems of European democracies have undergone fundamental changes. In all countries, the centrist parties that had shaped political life for decades lost support among the electorate. The first phase of change was characterized by the emergence of new, left-liberal ecological parties, the second phase brought with it the rise of left-wing parties, and the third phase was typically marked by a strengthening of right-wing parties. This development is closely examined, using the example of twelve old and new European democracies. In all twelve countries, there has been a growth in the political fringes at the expense of the traditional center since 1990. However, this has taken place at different speeds and to varying degrees. The centrist parties, including the new ecological left, and the right-wing and left-wing parties differ from each other primarily in terms of their voters' attitudes toward migration and their satisfaction with social and political conditions. The most important driving forces behind these political shifts were the spread of self-actualization values and attitudes toward globalization.