What role does religion play in the politics of Germany?

Answer 1

A:

German law requires individual religious freedom and the separation of state and church. However, West Germany has a tradition of collecting the Kirchensteuer. a religious tax, to support the church for the taxpayer. The East has a majority of non-believers, with Lutherans the largest religious group. In West Germany, Catholics are somewhat more likely to vote for centre-right parties. Members of other religions tend to vote for Social Democrats or Greens. In the East, Catholics and Lutherans remain more likely to support the right and liberalisation, with the non-religious majority voting for the Social Democrats or the ex-Communists (PDS).