Impact of International Developments in the Middle East and North Africa on Political Attitudes in Germany
Impact of International Developments in the Middle East and North Africa on Political Attitudes in Germany
A subproject of the Leibniz Institute for Global and Regional Studies (GIGA) investigates how international events and foreign policy developments influence political attitudes in Germany. The study focuses on the central question: whether and how international crises, conflicts, or political decisions can amplify or mitigate radical and extremist attitudes among the German population and within party-political elites.
The paper aims to provide a deeper understanding of how international politics and societal polarization interact. Bringing its extensive expertise in global and regional political developments of the Global South, GIGA adds an international perspective to this research effort. The research team analyzes both temporal changes in political developments and attitudes, as well as potential interactions between the positions of party-political elites and the attitudes of the general population. This research offers critical insights into how international politics can shape societal debates and political radicalization processes in Germany.
Key research questions include: – Which international events and foreign policy developments exacerbate or mitigate radical and extremist attitudes among the general population? – Which international events and foreign policy activities lead party-political actors to adopt radical or extremist positions? – What are the interactions between the positions of party-political elites and the attitudes of the general population?
To address these questions, GIGA continues to utilize and refine two research tools developed during the first phase of MOTRA. One such tool is the study titled “People in Germany: International” (MiDInt), which conducts representative online surveys every two to three months with approximately 2,500 respondents from across Germany. These surveys are designed to capture short-term trends in political attitudes and societal debates, as well as to analyze longer-term developments. Additionally, on-the-spot surveys are carried out during significant international crises or conflicts, such as the Israel-Gaza conflict post-October 7, 2023, or the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran in early 2026.
Another key element is the “X-Monitoring Dashboard,” which analyzes posts from public officials on X (formerly Twitter) at local, national, and European levels. These analyses focus on thematic debates concerning international events such as the Israel-Gaza conflict, with particular attention to polarizing, radical, or potentially extremist positions expressed in their self-presentation or opinions shared on social media.
By combining public opinion surveys with analyses of party-political communication on X, the project seeks to uncover the relationships between elite political statements and societal attitudes, their mutual influence, and their evolution over time.
Team: – Dr. Rebecca Endtricht, Research Associate. – Dr. Diego Farren, Research Associate. – Andrew Crawford, Research Associate. – Janosch Kleinschnittger, Research Associate.
???? The report was fully and exclusively transferred and translated by the Studies Department at AboMatrix