Isn't it amazing how polarized the German electorate is?
The German electorate is very polarized, but isn't it in most western democracies nowadays? The US, the UK, France, Italy?
I think most Western democracies are quite polarized, the United States being the most. Even though Germany is polarized in its voting patterns, I don't get the impression that the same animosity exists towards their opponents as is the case in the United States. I should note Canada is one example that doesn't seem that polarized as 30-40% vote for the Tories who are on the right and the remaining 60-70% vote for parties on the centre-left, thus unless you define the Liberals is right in the centre, it appears the left has an advantage in Canada. Now it is true that if you ask Canadians which party they want to win the next election it is a bit more polarized as usually only slightly more want the Liberals to win over the Tories. Also Britain in its last election, only 32% voted for the Tories and combined together, 36% voted for parties on the right (I included the BNP, UKIP, Ulster Unionist, Democratic Unionist etc.) and in the previous two elections it was even less. By contrast in Switzerland, around 2/3 vote for parties on the right (SVP, CVP, and FDP and a few smaller parties) while only a 1/3 on the left (SDP, Greens and a few smaller ones).