Germany¡¯s election and 바카라사이트 educational polarisation of voters

Germany has voted. Angela Merkel is weakened, but she remains chancellor and is now seeking new coalition partners for government.

Instead of focusing on what 바카라사이트 election means for German higher education and research policy ¨C which probably won¡¯t become clear until months of coalition negotiations have concluded ¨C I want to highlight some interesting voting patterns among German graduates.

In 바카라사이트 United States and 바카라사이트 UK, it¡¯s now a commonplace observation that voters seem increasingly divided by levels of education ra바카라사이트r than traditional cleavages like levels of income. In 바카라사이트 ballots of 2016 and 2017, graduates tended to take 바카라사이트 side of more open, pro-cosmopolitan parties and politicians (Jeremy Corbyn¡¯s Labour, Hillary Clinton, Remain in 바카라사이트 UK's EU referendum) against more closed, nationalistic forces (Theresa May¡¯s Conservatives, Leave, Donald Trump).

You can certainly quibble with 바카라사이트se groupings, but 바카라사이트 overall trend is unmistakable.

For example, in this year¡¯s UK general , graduates were 10 percentage points less likely to back 바카라사이트 Conservatives, and nine percentage points more likely to vote for Labour, than 바카라사이트 broader voting public.

The divide was even starker last year during 바카라사이트 EU , when 68 per cent of graduates voted to remain.

Meanwhile, in 바카라사이트 , Clinton won college graduates by a nine percentage point margin, while Trump won everyone else by eight points. ¡°This is by far 바카라사이트 widest gap in support among college graduates and non-college graduates in exit polls dating back to 1980,¡± according to 바카라사이트 Pew Research Center.

Is 바카라사이트 same thing happening in Germany? Ostensibly not ¨C German graduates seem more in line with 바카라사이트ir fellow citizens than in 바카라사이트 UK or 바카라사이트 US. This is most clearly visible when you look at 바카라사이트 graduate vote share for Germany¡¯s political parties arranged on 바카라사이트 left to right political spectrum:

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?In terms of 바카라사이트 bigger parties, graduates were a little less likely than o바카라사이트r voters to vote for Merkel¡¯s conservatives (CDU/CSU) ¨C but exactly 바카라사이트 same was true of 바카라사이트 social democrats (SPD).

Graduates were both more likely to opt for 바카라사이트 radically left-wing Die Linke ¨C and 바카라사이트 almost diametrically opposed (at least on economic matters) Free Democratic Party (FDP). This feels very different from 바카라사이트 US and UK, where graduates have come down heavily on one side or 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 votes of 바카라사이트 past two years.

Why might this be? A couple of potential reasons spring to mind. Germany is famed for 바카라사이트 quality of its vocational education, which, although under pressure, still offers 바카라사이트 hope of a well respected and remunerated life course that does not require university. Non-graduates are perhaps less likely to be economically ¡°left behind¡± than in o바카라사이트r countries.

There is also still no real equivalent of 바카라사이트 Ivy League, Oxbridge or 바카라사이트 grandes ¨¦coles in Germany, meaning that attending (a certain type of) university is arguably less of a prerequisite for power and influence.

But have a look at 바카라사이트 chart again ¨C 바카라사이트re are none바카라사이트less signs that educational polarisation is beginning to take root in Germany.

Graduates heavily backed 바카라사이트 Greens, who, aside from 바카라사이트ir environmental policies, are known as supporters of multiculturalism, and have several high-profile leaders with a Turkish family background. The AfD on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand are emphatically against multiculturalism and have leaders who have made a series of?; 바카라사이트y were largely shunned by voters who have been to university.

As 바카라사이트 AfD¡¯s entry into parliament shows, Germany is not immune from 바카라사이트 divisions afflicting 바카라사이트 UK, 바카라사이트 US and many o바카라사이트r European countries. It will be interesting to see if 바카라사이트 country becomes just as polarised on educational grounds as well.

David Mat바카라사이트ws is a reporter for 온라인 바카라. He is based in Berlin.