Both, East and West Germany, called themselves “democratic,” but how did each state define democracy and how democratic were they in reality? Although other parties existed in the GDR, the SED (Sozialistische Einheitspartei) ruled as one party dictatorship. The FRG had a multi-party system in which a party needed at least 5% of the vote to enter parliament. At present, seven parties are represented in the German Bundestag. A political landscape comprised of many parties allows for a diverse articulation of voices, but at which point do they become a hindrance to decision taking? Is democracy only a question of parties? How much democracy do we need?
