The elections in 1994 in Germany gave rise to the word Superwahjahr (super-election year). In addition to the election of a new Bundestag in October, there was a presidential election, elections to the European Parliament and elections for seven Lander parliaments. This book provides a set of analyses of those elections, with emphasis on the Bundestag election.

German politics today surveys the German political system, based on up--to--date information covering the period since the 1998 Bundestag election and the new coalition government under Chancellor Schroder. A concise survey of the historical background to the present-day political system, including the steps that led to German reunification in 1990, is followed by analysis of the institutions of political participation (election, parties and interest groups) and the institutions of government (the constitution, the legislature, chancellor government and the federal system). The book concludes by considering the symbiotic relationship between Germany and Europe, and assesses how apt it is to consider Germany to be a 'normal' democracy today.

The author draws on German as well as English--language sources of data, ensuring that recent changes in the political system are fully explained, and provides coverage of the constitutional as well as the historical and partisan basis of contemporary German politics.

Special features include boxes, (which explain topics such as the 'surplus seats' which have occurred at recent Bundestag elections), a chronology of events leading to German reunification, and examples of interest groups officially registered with the Bundestag.

It will appeal to those studying undergraduate courses on German politics, and provide a valuable resource for those studying comparative European political systems.

Much has been written about political upheavals and instability in Germany since reunification, but there has been little attempt at empirical analysis of the political parties and movements before, during and since reunification. Geoffrey Roberts provides a detailed analysis of party politics in post-unification Germany. Assessment is made not only of the changes in the German party system resulting from unification, but also of the role played by the parties themselves in the unification process. The analysis is placed within historical context and backed up with empirical data on the parties themselves. Finally, consideration is given to the challenges and opportunities for the parties within the context of increasing political and economic crisis in Germany, and the local, Laender, Bundestag and European Parliament elections of 1994.