Bastian Stock on Minor Parties in the Süddeutsche Zeitung

Why Small Parties Remain Invisible – and Why That’s a Problem

Rarely included in polls, ignored in TV debates, and now facing a call from Campact to avoid voting for "other" parties – small parties have a tough time. But why exactly?

Political scientist Bastian Stock provides insight into the situation: How do polling institutes decide which parties appear in statistics? Is the five-percent threshold really fair? And what does it mean for democracy when smaller parties receive little to no media coverage?

According to Stock, a vote for a small party is not automatically "wasted" – but the dynamics of the electoral system can have surprising effects. How much influence do small parties really have? And why could their invisibility have long-term consequences?

Click to read the full article here!