What determined the emergence of Christian Democratic parties as catch-all parties after 1945: historical legacy or recommencement? The article examines mechanisms of party change in the homelands of Christian Democracy: Italy and Germany. It applies concepts of causality from rationalist and...

It is a common fear in many countries that ideological parties will come to power through elections but will implement extreme policies and even end the democratic regime. Many countries cope with this problem by overriding the election results when such parties are elected. In a two-period...