German People's Union
Encyclopedia
The German People's Union is a nationalist political party
in Germany
. It was founded by publisher Gerhard Frey
as an informal association in 1971 and established as a party in 1987. Financially, it is largely dependent on Frey.
, the party has never reached the five-percent minimum in federal elections
that is generally necessary to enter the Bundestag
. The DVU has however gained seats in several state parliaments.
In 2004, the DVU entered a non-competition agreement with the far-right National Democratic Party
(NPD) for the state elections in Brandenburg
and Saxony
. Both parties passed the five-percent threshold in their respective states. The DVU reached 6.1 percent in the Brandenburg state elections
, and the NPD won 9.2 percent in the Saxony state elections
. After this relatively successful election, the parties formed an electoral alliance
for the 2005 federal elections
. The joint NPD-DVU slate, which ran under the NPD's ballot line, won 1.6 percent of the total votes nationally. Also, recently, a merger of both parties was discussed. On January 27, 2011, Holocaust Memorial Day
in Germany, the Landgericht Munich declared the merger null and void.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It was founded by publisher Gerhard Frey
Gerhard Frey (politician)
Gerhard Frey is a German publisher, businessman and politician. He was the chairman and main financial backer of the far-right party Deutsche Volksunion, which he founded in 1971. He resigned as chairman in January 2009....
as an informal association in 1971 and established as a party in 1987. Financially, it is largely dependent on Frey.
, the party has never reached the five-percent minimum in federal elections
Elections in Germany
The following information deals with elections in Germany, including elections to the Bundestag , the Landtags of the various states, and local elections.-Election system:...
that is generally necessary to enter the Bundestag
Bundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
. The DVU has however gained seats in several state parliaments.
In 2004, the DVU entered a non-competition agreement with the far-right National Democratic Party
National Democratic Party of Germany
The National Democratic Party of Germany – The People's Union , is a far right German nationalist party. It was founded in 1964 a successor to the German Reich Party . Party statements self-identify as Germany's "only significant patriotic force"...
(NPD) for the state elections in Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
and Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
. Both parties passed the five-percent threshold in their respective states. The DVU reached 6.1 percent in the Brandenburg state elections
Brandenburg state election, 2004
The Brandenburg state election, 2004, was conducted on September 19, 2004, to elect members to the Landtag of Brandenburg, the state legislature of Brandenburg.-Issues and Campaign:...
, and the NPD won 9.2 percent in the Saxony state elections
Saxony state election, 2004
The Saxony state election of 2004, was conducted on September 19, 2004, to elect members to the Landtag of Saxony.-Outcome:* The most striking result of the election, gaining international attention, was the entrance into the Landtag of the nationalist NPD, which won 12 seats. Its strength was...
. After this relatively successful election, the parties formed an electoral alliance
Electoral alliance
An electoral alliance may take the form of a bipartisan electoral agreement, electoral agreement, electoral coalition or electoral bloc. It is an association of political parties or individuals which exists solely to stand in elections...
for the 2005 federal elections
German federal election, 2005
German federal elections took place on 18 September 2005 to elect the members of the 16th German Bundestag, the federal parliament of Germany. They became necessary after a motion of confidence in Chancellor Gerhard Schröder failed on 1 July...
. The joint NPD-DVU slate, which ran under the NPD's ballot line, won 1.6 percent of the total votes nationally. Also, recently, a merger of both parties was discussed. On January 27, 2011, Holocaust Memorial Day
Holocaust Memorial Day
Holocaust Memorial Day or Holocaust Remembrance Day may refer to one of several commemorations of the Holocaust.-See also:* United Nations Holocaust Memorial* List of Holocaust memorials and museums...
in Germany, the Landgericht Munich declared the merger null and void.