EINWURF 3/2013 EN - Of Performers And Precarious – Is Germany Becoming A Democracy Of The Better-Off?

Voter turnout for the 2013 election of Germany’s federal parliament almost reached a record low, at 71.5 percent. At the same time, the low level of voter participation intensifies the social selectivity of the electorate and thereby the social divisions within our democracy. This is reflected by a uniform pattern across Germany: The more precarious the social living conditions in a neighborhood or voting district, the lower the voter turnout. Social inequality leads to political inequality – which in turn harms the representativeness of the election result.