A new hope for europhiles? The 2017 German federal elections and the revenge of the pro-European mainstream

Abstract

ABSTRACT The rise of the right-wing populist and eurosceptic party, Alternative für Deutschland, in Germany, represents a significant shake up of the country’s pro-EU consensus. Spatial models of partisan behaviour predict that mainstream parties are likely to react to eurosceptic challenges by veering towards a more critical European position. A comparison of the politicisation of European integration in party programmes between the 2017 federal elections and those held previously shows that the reverse is true. In the face of a eurosceptic challenger, mainstream parties have adopted an adversarial rather than accommodating response, becoming more pro-European and increasingly vocal in their support for the EU. I argue that the europhile fight-back of mainstream parties is likely driven by increases in europhilia amongst mainstream parties’ supporters who move to rally around the EU when the polity is under attack from a eurosceptic threat.