The PDS: A Study of the Development and Stabilisation of the PDS as an Eastern German Regional Party, 1989-2000

This PhD thesis examines the role of the PDS party within the German political landscape. It proposes that the PDS achieved political success by mobilising distinct territorial interests, similar to other regional parties globally. The research suggests that the division along the former inner-German border provided the PDS with an opportunity to redefine its image as a protector of eastern German identity. The thesis argues that the West German party system, which expanded eastward in 1990, failed to adequately incorporate region-specific sentiments into the political process. This created a stable environment for a regional party like the PDS. The study highlights how the PDS leveraged its regional heritage, leadership, and organizational structure to develop a policy platform that resonated with the views of many eastern Germans, thereby securing its position as a stable, long-term political actor.