The changing role of political protest movements

Protest movements have contributed to shaping the history of Germany during the last decades. This article focuses on two types of groups: left-libertarian movements on the one hand, and right-wing radical and xenophobic movements on the other. First, the article analyses the frequency of and participation in protest activities and the rising significance of violent protest. Second, it discusses the changing patterns of interaction between protest movements and state authorities. Third, it assesses both the transformations that the movement sector has undergone and the impact and limitations of movement politics. In the latter regard, the chapter highlights the agenda-setting role of radical right-wing groups, particularly since the 1990s. More important, however, is the role of the left-libertarian movements. They have contributed to a transformation of the political culture in Germany that has made it more participatory and more responsive on the part of the power holders.