Breaking the German Cold War Taboo? The Generational Divide in Evaluating a Coalition Between CDU/CSU and The Left

Abstract Germany’s fragmented party system has revived debates about unconventional coalitions, including cooperation between the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) and The Left to contain the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). We examine whether evaluations of this unlikely coalition vary by generational socialisation, assuming this to be the most likely scenario in which such a pattern would emerge. Using original survey data collected shortly before the 2021 federal election ( N = 1504), we compared desirability ratings across three birth cohorts and estimated linear regression models. Results show uniformly negative evaluations overall, but systematic cohort differences exist: Respondents socialised during the German Democratic Republic period expressed the strongest rejection, while those socialised after reunification, particularly those whose formative years took place after The Left’s emergence as a merged and rebranded party, were comparatively less negative. Living in eastern Germany is associated with fewer negative impressions of the coalition, and greater perceived ideological distance relates to lower desirability of the potential coalition. While the CDU/CSU and The Left have long represented ideological antipodes, cohort replacement may gradually soften this divide.