Christian democracy is dead; long live the union parties: Explaining CDU/CSU dominance within the German party system

Since 1949, the CDU/CSU has been the dominant party grouping in the German party system yet has rarely occupied the political centre ground, as represented by the so-called median legislator within the Bundestag. This article seeks to explain the paradox of how a right of centre party faction came to dominate what has historically been seen as a consensual and centrist party system by drawing upon the conceptual tools of (1) formal coalition theory and (2) the notions of path-dependence, rules, norms, beliefs and standard operating procedures. The article argues there is little reason to believe that the pattern of dominance established over the last six decades is in any immediate danger.