Democracy Under Pressure? Support of Democracy in Germany and Italy

This chapter examines the question of whether democracy in Germany and Italy is being challenged by populist parties. The investigation relies on a theoretical model structuring support for democracy at the levels of support for democracy as an ideal, support for a democratic regime and support for political parties. The main focus falls on the latter, that is, on the political actors who aspire to hold power. The empirical analyses that follow aim to establish the extent of support at the three levels for both countries, considering developments on the political scene in each case that could explain the rise of political parties and movements. The overall aim is to find out if, and if so, to what extent populist parties, especially those with right-wing roots, represent a danger to democracy in the two compared Western European countries.