- The CDU is a centre-right political party.
- They supports Christian democracy, although its membership includes atheists.
- It has advocated a mild social market economy, similar to Clinton's third way.
- They have, however, become more fiscally conservative since the Chancellorship of Helmut Kohl.
- They are committed to European integration, but they oppose Turkish membership.
- They favour a strong relationship with the USA.
- They also favour integration of immigrants via language courses and other means.
- The current leader--and Chancellor of Germany--Angela Merkel's approval ratings sit at 77pc.

- The SDP is a centre-left party.
- They advocate social democracy through a strengthened and co-ordinated social market economy.
- They support the distribution of wealth and an extensive social safety net.
- Although, they try to balance this with responsible fiscal policy and the elimination of budget deficits.
- The party is split between the moderates and the Keynesians ever since deeply unpopular welfare cuts in the early 2000s.
- They support European integration.
- As well as economic regulation to limit the potential losses of banks.
- The party also supports a common EU economic policy, as well as environmental regulation.

- The Left is the main left-wing federal party in Germany.
- It argues for democratic socialism to replace capitalism.
- Although current policies rely on Keynesian economics; they believe the government should combine expansionary monetary and fiscal policies during a downturn.
- The Left also argues for increasing government spending in a wide number of areas, from infrastructure to culture.
- They completely oppose privatisation.
- Support increased corporation and inheritance taxes, empowering co-operatives, banning oil and gas fracking and a federal minimum wage.

- The FDP is a centre-right, classical liberal party.
- Supports cutting the bureaucracy down, privatisation and ending subsidies.
- They also support reforming social security along the lines of personal savings accounts.
- They believe the government should have a minimal social role, and have traditionally supported LGBT rights.
- However, as of the last election they have been ousted from the federal parliament. They can't shake the image of the party of the rich.

- The UMP is a broad-church, centre-right to right-wing political party.
- Their ideas range from Christian democracy to classical liberalism.
- They believe strongly in self-sufficiency, and value things like merit and innovation.
- However, the party also promotes the rule of law and adherence to authority for the sake of social cohesion.
- The party has sometimes taken a tough stance on immigration and strongly supported cultural assimilation.
- Under Nicolas Sarkozy, several thousand Roma were controversially expelled from France.
- They have, historically, tried to balance support for European integration with nationalism.
- Under Sarkozy, the government promised to make overtime hours tax-exempt.
- He also tried to strengthen ties with the US by sending 1,000 troops to Afghanistan.
 

- The PS is a broad church, centre-left to left-wing party which currently controls the Assembly and the Presidency.
- It has factions ranging from socialism to social democracy, although the current president is considered a moderate.
- It has, historically, been compared to the UK's Labour Party before Tony Blair.
- Under Hollande, the government has wanted to separate investment and retail banking.
- They also favour phasing out nuclear energy in favour of alternative renewable energy.
- Hollande also sought a top rate of income tax at 75pc.
- The party has also pledged to eliminate the deficit by 2017.
- They supported the removal of French troops from Afghanistan, although they began a very successful military operation in Mali in 2013.
- Hollande's approval ratings sit at 12pc.

- The FN is a socially right-wing but economically left-wing party in France.
- The party takes a 'zero-tolerance' approach to crime, and supports harsher sentences with increased prison capacity.
- It has historically been opposed to (particularly Islamic) immigration.
- Marine Le Pen has criticised Muslim immigrants for their threats against the values of France.
- The party is also protectionist, and opposed to globalisation.
- They seek to nationalise healthcare, education, transportation, banking and energy.
- The party now seeks to leave the Euro and establish French customs borders.