Hans-Joachim Veen

This volume presents a broad survey of the Republikaner Party, its program and ideology, its organization, and the composition of its voters and sympathizers. The authors maintain that any analysis of the Republikaners must distinguish between the party as represented by its platform and party officials, and the party as seen by its voters. Republikaners draw potential voters from two very differently motivated groups: (1) a small, ideologically oriented segment dominated by right-wing conservative and right-fringe extremist attitudes, and (2) a larger, flucating pool of sympathizers less committed to the REP and primarily concerned with economic and social issues. Until recently, the Republikaners were mainly able to exploit narrowly focused, pent-up resentments. The foreigner problem is at the center of Republikaners' propaganda and serves as a catalyst that adroitly combines numerous related social problems such as housing shortage, unemployment, and the widespread fear of being shunted aside by interlopers. Although the Republikaners still lack the social foundation and ideological consensus necessary to build a stable core constituency, the organization serves as a vehicle for diverse protest. The authors warn that the Republikaners potentially comprise a base for organizing a party on the far right of the German political spectrum.

This volume presents a broad survey of the Republikaner Party, its program and ideology, its organization, and the composition of its voters and sympathizers. The authors maintain that any analysis of the Republikaners must distinguish between the party as represented by its platform and party officials, and the party as seen by its voters. Republikaners draw potential voters from two very differently motivated groups: (1) a small, ideologically oriented segment dominated by right-wing conservative and right-fringe extremist attitudes, and (2) a larger, flucating pool of sympathizers less committed to the REP and primarily concerned with economic and social issues. Until recently, the Republikaners were mainly able to exploit narrowly focused, pent-up resentments. The foreigner problem is at the center of Republikaners' propaganda and serves as a catalyst that adroitly combines numerous related social problems such as housing shortage, unemployment, and the widespread fear of being shunted aside by interlopers. Although the Republikaners still lack the social foundation and ideological consensus necessary to build a stable core constituency, the organization serves as a vehicle for diverse protest. The authors warn that the Republikaners potentially comprise a base for organizing a party on the far right of the German political spectrum.

9 Dieser Ansatz ist im Kontext der europäischen Gemeinschaftsbil­ dung in doppelter Hinsicht unzureichend. Zunächst gab er bisher keine hinlänglich konkreten Antworten auf Fragen nach bestimmten Sachpolitiken, etwa nach sozio-ökonomischen Gestaltungsvorstellun­ gen für die Europäische Gemeinschaft, nach der Einstellung gegenüber dem Nordatlantischen Verteidigungsbündnis, über Richtung und Aus­ maß der westeuropäischen Integration schlechthin. Vor allen DiJ;lgen aber drohte er die Analyse der macht- und d. h. der koalitionspoliti­ schen Möglichkeiten der KP's und darüber hinaus auch jener der sozialistischen Parteien zu verschütten. Denn weder die Kommunisten noch die Sozialisten werden in Westeuropa in absehbarer Zeit irgend­ wo allein mehrheits- und regierungsfähig werden. Sie sind notwendig auf Bündnispartner angewiesen. Ihr machtpolitischer und damit letztlich auch ihr ideologisch-programmatischer Stellenwert kann sich folglich erst aus einer zusammenschauenden Gesamtanalyse ihrer potentiellen und zum Teil erklärten Bündnispartner ergeben. In den gegenwärtigen Parteienkonstellationen in Westeuropa ergibt sich daraus - sieht man von wenigen Sonderfällen, wie Italien, ab - die Forderung nach einer kombinierten Analyse der Entwicklung und aktuellen Lage aller Linksparteien in den westeuropäischen Staaten, um Aufschlüsse über die Chancen, Bedingtheiten und Grenzen ihrer möglicherweise gemeinsamen Politik in einzelnen Staaten und in der Europäischen Gemeinschaft zu erhalten.