Federalism and Party Interaction in West Germany, Switzerland, and Austria

The federalism established in the constitutions of the Federal Republic of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, in addition to the common language of these countries, distinguishes them from the other West European countries, which lean toward centrally organized states. After examining the historical foundation and development of the federal systems in the three countries, the article analyzes the segmentation, federal-state interaction, and intraparty effects of political parties in them. While federalism is strengthened by the heterogeneity and regional solidarity of the political parties in Switzerland, federalism has become a pure “party federalism” in the Federal Republic of Germany and Austria.