Dr. Bettina Munimus

People's parties in retirement? The large number of senior citizens in CDU and SPD

The German political parties - most notably CDU and SPD - are ageing stronger and faster than society as a whole. In 2011, almost half of both large parties' members were aged 60 years and older. Adolescents and young adults constituted less than eight percent of all members. What does this development of the age structure towards older members imply for CDU and SPD?

The study examines this question from three different angles. The first focus lays on the representation of 60plus members within party panels and parliaments on federal- as well as federal state level. Despite their large proportion in the overall membership body there is a representation gap: They are underrepresented as functionaries and members of parliament. This aspect can be explained with the help of the so-called "Representation Theory", which holds that to date, senior citizens have felt their political interest sufficiently represented by younger generations.

The second step in the context of this study - due to the existing organizational structures - is a detailed analysis of the senior citizen organizations "Senioren-Union" (senior union) of the CDU and the "Arbeitsgemeinschaft 60plus" (workgroup 60plus) of the SPD. The formation of these organizations signified the institutionalization of higher age within established party structures. Both Senior-Union and AG SPD 60plus, in their function as sub- and auxiliary organizations, are meant to exert influence on the strategically important voter segment and supposed to advertise the interests of their respective parties. It is discussed whether, in face of this numerical imbalance, a growing senior-political activism can be expected from these organizations. With help of four qualitative case studies conducted in the federal state capitals of Stuttgart and Hannover, and in the rural small towns of Northeim and Freudenstadt, it was empirically tested how the smallest organizational entities of the member parties, local clubs, and local chapters deal with their aging party structures. Based on the model "Members as strategic organizational resource", by Elmar Wiesendahl, it is illustrated, which resources and gratifications are significant for active party engagement in regard to the aged participation cohorts of the 1960s and 1970s. A central finding of this analytical angle is the wish for perpetuation of the biographic continuity and social participation within grown party structures, while aspirations towards new modes of participation or power ambitions are not apparent - albeit the wealth of resources in terms of time, education, experience, and material wealth that comes with retirement.

The German parties - above all the CDU and SPD - are ageing faster and more strongly than society in general. In 2011, almost half of all members of both major parties were aged sixty or older. Teenagers and young adults up to the age of 35, on the other hand, make up less than eight percent of the total membership. What does the age-structural shift in favor of older members mean for the member parties CDU and SPD?

The study examines this question from three different perspectives. The first focuses on the representation of the over-60s in party committees and parliaments at both federal and state level. Despite their high proportion of total membership, it is possible to speak of a representation gap: They are underrepresented as functionaries and mandate holders. This can be explained by the so-called representation thesis, according to which older people feel that their political interests have so far been adequately represented by younger people.

Due to the existing organizational structures, the study will focus in a second step on the seniors' organizations Senioren-Union der CDU and Arbeitsgemeinschaft 60plus der SPD (AG SPD 60plus). With the founding of these organizations, advanced age was institutionally anchored within the established party structures. As sub- and subsidiary organizations, the Seniors' Union and the SPD 60plus working group have the task of influencing the strategically important voter segment and promoting the concerns of their respective parties. It is discussed whether, in view of their numerical preponderance, these organizations are becoming increasingly active in senior citizens' politics.

Using four qualitative case studies in the state metropolises of Stuttgart and Hanover and the small rural towns of Northeim and Freudenstadt, we empirically investigated how the smallest organizational units of the member parties, local clubs and local associations, deal with the ageing of their structures. On the basis of Elmar Wiesendahl's model "Members as a strategic organizational resource", an illustrative picture is drawn of the resources and gratifications that are important for the aged participation cohorts of the 1960s and 1970s to remain actively involved in the party. The central result of this research perspective is the desire to maintain biographical continuity and social participation within the established party structures, without new ambitions for participation or even power arising at an advanced age - despite favorable resources in the form of time, education, experience and material security in retirement.

"Popular parties in retirement? The large number of older people in the CDU and SPD"

The dissertation was published by transcript Verlag in 2012:
Munimus, Bettina (2012): Ageing People's Parties - New Power of the Elderly in the CDU and SPD?, Bielefeld: transcript Verlag.
Link to the publication

Bettina Munimus has been working as a project manager at the European Academy for Women in Politics and Business (EAF) in Berlin since February 2012.

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Monographs

• Munimus, Bettina, 2012: Ageing People's Parties - New Power of the Elderly in the CDU and SPD?, Bielefeld: transcript Verlag (forthcoming)
• Munimus, Bettina, 2010: Seniors' policy in transition. Verbände und Gewerkschaften als Interessenvertreter der älteren Generation, Frankfurt a. M.: Campus Verlag (together with Wolfgang Schroeder and Diana Rüdt)
• Munimus, Bettina, 2010: Heide Simonis - Aufstieg und Fall der ersten Ministerpräsidentin Deutschlands, Stuttgart: Ibidem Verlag

Articles in journals and books

• Munimus, Bettina, 2012: Ageing memberships as a challenge and mandate for trade unions, in: Kohler, Harald; Schmid, Josef (eds.): Der demografische Wandel als europäische Herausforderung. Solutions through social dialog, Baden-Baden: Nomos Verlag, pp. 115-132 (together with Wolfgang Schroeder)
• Munimus, Bettina, 2012: From a quantitative majority to qualitative power? The stakeholders of the older generation, in: Journal für Generationengerechtigkeit, 1/2012 (peer review)
• Munimus, Bettina, 2012: How do the elderly rule? Visions of the future of a greying society, in: INDES - Journal for Politics and Society, Issue 2, pp. 123-125
• Munimus, Bettina, 2011: Trade unions as representatives of the interests of the older generation?, in: WSI Mitteilungen, 2/2011, pp. 107-114 (together with Wolfgang Schroeder) (peer review)
• Munimus, Bettina, 2010: Alles nur Zufälle? in: Hensel, Alexander; Kallinich, Daniela; Rahlf, Katharina (eds.): Parteien, Demokratie und gesellschaftliche Kritik. Yearbook of the Göttingen Institute for Democracy Research 2010, Stuttgart: Ibidem Verlag, pp. 155-156
• Munimus, Bettina, 2010: Der harte Weg der Ministerpräsidentinnenkür, in: Hensel, Alexander; Kallinich, Daniela; Rahlf, Katharina (eds.): Parteien, Demokratie und gesellschaftliche Kritik. Yearbook of the Göttingen Institute for Democracy Research 2010, Stuttgart: Ibidem Verlag, pp. 247-249
• Munimus, Bettina, 2009: Die Parteien verdorren von innen her, in: Berliner Republik, 6/2009, pp. 88-89.

• Munimus, Bettina, 2009: Die Graue Koalition  Wie Deutschlands Volksparteien altern, in: Butzlaff, Felix; Harm, Stine; Walter, Franz (eds.): Patt oder Gezeitenwechsel? Germany 2009, Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften pp. 237-266 (together with Oliver D'Antonio)
• Munimus, Bettina, 2009: Representation of interests for older people and with older people: "Is the intergenerational contract in danger?" Guest commentary in: Gesellschaftsforschung. Aktuelle Themen und Nachrichten, Newsletter of the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies Cologne, No. 1, pp. 16-17, Cologne (together with Wolfgang Schroeder and Diana Rüdt) (peer review)
• Munimus, Bettina, 2009: Are the elderly seizing power? in: Berliner Republik, 1/2009, pp. 79-81
• Munimus, Bettina, 2008: Integrating or separating interest representation policy? On the self-image of actors in German senior citizens' policy - a comparison of social associations, trade unions and political parties, in: Zeitschrift für Sozialreform, 54, Issue 3, pp. 225-250 (together with Wolfgang Schroeder and Diana Rüdt)
• Munimus, Bettina, 2008: Hessens Ministerpräsidenten im Profil, in: Schroeder, Wolfgang (ed.): Parteien und Parteiensystem in Hessen. From a four-party to a five-party system? Wiesbaden: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften, pp. 284-312 (together with Stephan Klecha and Nico Weinmann)

Online publications

• Munimus, Bettina, 2011: Seniorenpolitik im Wandel - Interessenvertreter der älteren Generation, speech manuscript for the lecture given at the Schleswig-Holstein Altenparlament on September 23, 2011 in Kiel, available at: www.landtag.ltsh.de/export/sites/land tagsh/service/altenparl /ap-2011/data/BettinaMunimus_Seniorenpolitik-im-Wandel.pdf
• Munimus, Bettina, 2010: Der harte Weg zur Ministerpräsidentin, in: Die ZEIT online, 14.07.2010
• Munimus, Bettina, 2010: A book for the seven grandchildren, in: vorwärts online, 8.10.2010
• Munimus, Bettina, 2010: Homesick for a land of memories, in: vorwärts online, 9.10.2010
• Munimus, Bettina, 2010: The dilemma remains, in: vorwärts online, 11.10.2010
• Munimus, Bettina, 2008: "Old, but not selfish", Die ZEIT online, 29.04.2008

2001-2007

Studied political science, media and communication science and business administration in Würzburg, Göttingen and St. Petersburg (Russia)

2007-2009

Research assistant in the project "Ageing trade unions and organizations for older people - trade unions and social associations in national and international perspective (funded by the Hans Böckler Foundation) at the University of Kassel

2009-2012

Graduate scholarship holder of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation

2010-2011

Editorial assistant, BERLINER REPUBLIK - The Debate Magazine

since 2012

Project Manager, EAF | European Academy for Women in Politics and Business Berlin