New Project Publication: Changing Allegiances

A new MoveMeRU publication addresses the upcoming elections to the 21st German Bundestag. In the ZOiS Spotlight Changing Loyalties: Russian-Connected Families and the German Election, Félix Krawatzek examines how the political preferences of this group of voters are changing.

For a long time, the CDU/CSU was the preferred party for Germans with a Russian migration background, but this support is waning. Reasons for this are the party's stance on Russia and the war in Ukraine. The MoveMeRU survey, conducted in 2024 under the direction of Félix Krawatzek and Hakob Matevosyan, shows that these voters are increasingly turning to the AfD and the BSW. The AfD scores with its criticism of sanctions and pro-Russian rhetoric, while the BSW benefits from Wagenknecht's media-friendly positions.

Another key finding of the research is political ‘family convergence’. While conservative attitudes are often passed down through generations, young Germans with a Russian background display greater political diversity than the population as a whole. Their political environment – school, friends and media consumption – plays a crucial role in this.

The German electorate is becoming increasingly diverse, and with it, political loyalties are also changing. Our study shows that voters with a connection to Russia paint a differentiated picture of the parties – an important factor for the upcoming federal election.