Direct Democracy and the Impact of the Alternative for Germany (AfD)? “Populist” Demand for Popular Sovereignty as Latent Political Conflict

Abstract

A fundamental conflict over sovereignty revolves around the question of who should decide about legislation: parliament or citizens? Traditionally, in Western Europe, left-wing parties were pushing hardest for more direct democracy. However, with the rise of populism, far-right parties have also become loud proponents. This chapter studies the conflict over direct democracy and assesses the impact of the far right in the case of Germany. First, it shows that long before the rise of AfD, almost all mainstream parties already favoured stronger direct-democratic instruments. Second, however, as unintended consequence of far-right strength, some became quieter about it or even changed their position towards more rejective stances. Third, in terms of outcomes, no changes towards more national-level direct democracy occurred. Fourth, while all parties address direct democracy, the issue is not high on the political agenda. High but unmet public demand for more direct democracy constitutes a latent sovereignty conflict in contemporary Europe. The chapter contributes to debates on sovereignty conflicts, democratic reform and the impact of populist radical right parties in European politics.