Economic Conditions and Individual Vote in the Federal Republic of Germany

Analyses of the effects of economic perceptions on voting behavior have been mostly confined to the United States. This study utilizes data gathered from the 1972, 1976, and 1980 German national elections in order to investigate the effects of the economy on the vote. The authors find support for the hypothesis that economic voting in the Federal Republic is more accurately described in terms of a "sociotropic" or "national assessments" explanation of the economic situation. Individual economic circumstances appear to play a more marginal role. Also, economic motivations in voting are stronger with the voter's preference for chancellor than at lower levels of the electoral system. Voters tend to punish or reward the chancellor on the basis of their perception of his management of the economy.