Public joint lecture and discussion with Professor Dr Jochen and Professor Dr Christian Stecker

The state elections in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have once again highlighted the structural tensions within German democracy. The growing support for the AfD on the one hand, and the strong opposition to it on the other, illustrate an increasing political divide, particularly within East German society. The speakers will present various explanatory models for voting behaviour and discuss the consequences for the federal states’ ability to form governments. Minority governments with shifting majorities will be presented as a viable alternative to the rigid coalition models of past decades.

Jochen Müller is Professor of Political Sociology and Methods at the University of Greifswald. His research focuses on parliamentary behaviour, political parties, political attitudes and electoral behaviour. A particular focus is on the question of how different personal experiences and social contexts shape political behaviour.

Christian Stecker is Professor of Political Science at Darmstadt Technical University. His research focuses on elections, party systems and government formation. In his book *Ohne Koalitionskorsett und Brandmauern* (*Without Coalition Constraints and Firewalls*), he argues that flexible majorities, rather than rigid coalitions, could revitalise democracy in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Moderator: Marcus Hoffmann, MA