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.

Wahrend uber die politischen Systeme der anderen Partner in der EG eine Fulle von Literatur in deutscher Sprache vorhanden ist und zudem uber diese Lander auch in der Presse und den ande ren Medien haufig berichtet wird, ist dies in Bezug auf die Nieder lande, Belgien und Luxemburg nur in sehr eingeschranktem Masse der Fall. Dies ist UlmO erstaunlicher und bedauernswerter, wenn man bedenkt, welche grosse Bedeutung der BENELUX-Raum ins besondere in wirtschaftlicher Hinsicht fur die Bundesrepublik Deutschland hat. Zudem ist das Verhaltnis, insbesondere zu un serem niederlandischen Nachbarn, immer noch sehr stark von den Erfahrungen der Kriegs-und Besatzungszeit uberschattet, die bis heute fortwirken. Fur Belgien gilt, wenn auch in geringerem Masse, ahnliches. Trotz der Informationsuberflutung durch die Medien ist immer wieder festzustellen, wie wenig wir voneinander und von den po litischen Systemen der jeweils anderen Lander wissen. Dieses Buch will versuchen, einen Beitrag dazu zu leisten, diese Lucke zu schliessen. Daher geht es in erster Linie darum, Basisinforma tionen uber die Strukturen und Institutionen des politischen Sy stems, gesellschaftliche und wirtschaftliche Daten und Entwick lungen werden, soweit es in diesem Rahmen moglich ist, mit ein bezogen. Man kann dem hier zugrundegelegten Ansatz sicherlich den Vorwurf machen, er folge dem traditionellen, an Institutio nen orientierten Muster der "Vergleichenden Regierungs, lehre.""

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.