Political parties and elections Flashcards
What parties were in a coalition in the first government under Adenauer?
CDU, FDP, DP
Who were the BHE?
League of Refugees and Expellees
What was the ‘first-past-the-post’ system?
Candidate who wins most votes, not majority
How did the new electoral system benefit German politics?
Safeguarded against extremists
When was the 5% rule adopted at local level?
1953
What did the 5% rule mean?
Parties below this couldn’t enter the Bundestag
When were the Communists (KPD) banned?
1956
Why did the DP (German Party) decline in the 1950’s?
Refugees integrated into society
How could Vanishing opposition be seen as a good thing?
- Reduced the risk of extremists gaining power
- Consensus politics - focused on solving problems, not attacking each other
- Produced a period of economic growth
How could Vanishing opposition be seen as a bad thing?
- Those frustrated with coalition government had no where to turn
- Frustration led to unrest amongst young
What ‘terrorist’ groups were formed as a result of vanishing opposition?
Baader-Meinhof gang and Red Army faction
