The Impact of the Global Economic Crisis on Patterns of Support for Democracy in Germany

Abstract

Has there been a decline in support for democracy in the aftermath of the 2007/08 fiscal crisis and the subsequent economic recession in Germany? This is the general research question dealt with in this article. Based on a differentiated theory of support for democracy results show that levels of support are high and change over time does not support the decline expectation. We conclude that the political culture of Germany’s established democratic political regime has cushioned the impact of the fiscal crisis and the subsequent economic recession in the time period under consideration. German democracy has weathered the crisis well.