The Research Unit Democracy, Society, Market Economy investigates the societal conditions of economic success. Therefore, our research agenda includes inconsistent preferences as well as unresolved or hidden trade-offs as drivers of economic actors' decision-making. The polarized public discourse hinders the negotiation of appropriate political solutions. In this context, success in international competition depends in particular on the extent to which our pluralistic democracy remains able to endure and tame the tensions between societal groups. The goal is therefore to develop options for reconciliation between business, government and society.
As the German population ages, the country’s statutory pension scheme, which is financed on a pay-as-you-go basis, requires higher and higher contributions while the level of pensions is falling.
Matthias Diermeier / Judith Niehues / Samina Sultan
This study, based on the IW-People Survey 2024, shows that around 62% of Germans consider the election of the European Parliament to be important. This is the result of around 5,200 respondents. The proportion is therefore roughly as high as the voter turnout in 2019.
Matthias Diermeier / Judith Niehues / Samina Sultan
IW
Results from a Survey of Business and Employers' Associations
External Publication
26. February 2024
How German Business deals with the populist radical right party Alternative for Germany (AfD):
Results from a Survey of Business and Employers' Associations
Knut Bergmann / Matthias Diermeier / Daniel Kinderman / Wolfgang Schroeder
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) has established itself in Germany as a liberal-right-wing populist party in terms of its economic policy programme.
Knut Bergmann / Matthias Diermeier / Daniel Kinderman / Wolfgang Schroeder
IW
Thomas Obst / Samina Sultan
IW News
13. October 2023
Elections:
Following its "Wirtschaftswunder", Poland must commit to the world
This coming Sunday, Poles will elect a new government. In wake of its remarkable "Wirtschaftswunder" or economic miracle, Poland stands at a crossroads. After experiencing years of economic growth, it has the potential to achieve even greater prosperity, provided it opens up further to the world and manages to find pragmatic solutions to major conflicts with the EU.
Too Much or Too Little Reform?:
Public Discussion of the Revised Unemployment Benefit
Matthias Diermeier/ Jan Felix Engler / Holger Schäfer
Under its new name, Citizens' Benefit (Bürgergeld), Germany’s reformed unemployment benefit was supposed to put basic benefits for job-seekers on a new footing and fulfil the political promise to "overcome" its controversial predecessor known, after its original sponsor’s final proposal, as ‘Hartz IV’.
Matthias Diermeier/ Jan Felix Engler / Holger Schäfer
IW
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![[Translate to English:] Polens Regierungspartei PiS will unbedingt im Amt bleiben - ausgemacht ist das nicht.](/fileadmin/_processed_/d/b/csm_Polen_GettyImages-1719478592_524abd0574.jpg "[Translate to English:] Polens Regierungspartei PiS will unbedingt im Amt bleiben - ausgemacht ist das nicht.")
![[Translate to English:] Polens Regierungspartei PiS will unbedingt im Amt bleiben - ausgemacht ist das nicht.](/fileadmin/_processed_/d/b/csm_Polen_GettyImages-1719478592_b949d8eaf3.jpg "[Translate to English:] Polens Regierungspartei PiS will unbedingt im Amt bleiben - ausgemacht ist das nicht.")
