Research
Projects at the Mannheim Centre for European Social Research (MZES)
- digilog@bw – Dynamics of Participation in the Era of Digitalisation
- Social Conflicts and Dynamics of Party Competition in Times of Migration and Integration
- Party competition and policy outcomes in multilevel systems: a comparative study on determinants and consequences of programmatic preferences of political actors on a sub-national level
- Where is my party? Party position-taking between elections and its consequences for party performance
- Where is my party? Determinants of voter agreement on ideological positions of political parties
- Intra-party heterogeneity and its political consequences in Europe (completed)
- Participation and representation. A Comparative Study of Linkage Mechanisms between Citizens and the Political System in Contemporary Democracies (PartiRep-2) (completed)
- COHESIFY: Understanding the Impact of EU Cohesion Policy on European Identification (completed)
- Going Local: Determinants of Institutional Changes of Local Government and their Implications for Political Participation and Political Decision-Making in West European Democracies (completed)
Projects at the Collaborative Research Centre (SFB 884)
Selected Publications
- Bäck, H., Debus, M. & Imre, M. (2025). Incumbency advantages, Prime Minister replacements and government formation. Party Politics, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1177/13540688251344561
- Debus, M., Diener, J., Himmelrath, N. & Stecker, C. (2025). What do Germans of Russian and Turkish migration background think about sanctions against Russia? Research & Politics : R&P, 12(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1177/20531680251325428
- Debus, M., Son, K. & Wagner, S. (2025). Partisan politics, economic hardship, and full-time day care for children in German cities. Local Government Studies, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/03003930.2025.2465956
- Debus, M. & Traunmüller, R. (2025). Former social democratic partisanship, working-class background, and support for right-wing populist parties: A research note. Politische Vierteljahresschrift : PVS, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11615-025-00604-y
- Kölzer, J., Debus, M. & Stecker, C. (2025). Alte Wurzeln, neue Wurzeln? Zum Einfluss früherer rechtsradikaler Unterstützung auf den AfD-Wahlerfolg bei der Europawahl 2024. Politische Vierteljahresschrift : PVS, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11615-025-00590-1
- Bräuninger, T. & Debus, M. (2024). Theorie und Empirie der Vergleichenden Koalitionsforschung: Stand und Ausblick. Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaft : ZPol = Journal of Political Science, 34(4), 533–555. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41358-024-00380-y
- Bäck, H., Debus, M. & Imre, M. (2024). Populist radical parties, pariahs, and coalition bargaining delays. Party Politics, 30(1), 96–107. https://doi.org/10.1177/13540688221136109
- Debus, M. & Faas, T. (2024). Die hessische Landtagswahl vom 8. Oktober 2023: Die Schwäche der Ampelparteien und das überraschende Ende von Schwarz-Grün. Zeitschrift für Parlamentsfragen : ZParl, 55(1), 25–42. https://doi.org/10.5771/0340-1758-2024-1-25
- Debus, M. & Himmelrath, N. (2024). Who runs in the end? New evidence on the effects of gender, ethnicity and intersectionality on candidate selection. Political Studies Review, 22(4), 1000–1021. https://doi.org/10.1177/14789299241226616
- Debus, M., Himmelrath, N. & Stecker, C. (2024). How a history of migration affects individuals’ political attitudes. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies : JEMS, 50(8), 1886–1903. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2023.2245571
- Debus, M., Lattmann, J. & Wagner, S. (2024). Mode of candidacy, electoral prospects, and the ideological deviation of candidacy-seeking politicians from their party leadership. Electoral Studies, 89(Article 102798), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2024.102798
- Debus, M. & Schulte, F. (2024). How party competition shapes ethnic parties' positions on migration and immigration. Party Politics, 30(1), 126–138. https://doi.org/10.1177/13540688221136107
- Debus, M. & Schweizer, D. (2024). The differentiated impact of perceived EU regional policy on citizens’ positions on European integration. Politische Vierteljahresschrift : PVS, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11615-024-00568-5
- Debus, M. & Tuttnauer, O. (2024). Negative campaign statements, coalition heterogeneity, and the support for government parties. Electoral Studies, 87(Article 102738), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electstud.2023.102738
- Debus, M. & Wurthmann, L. C. (2024). LGB+ identity and its implications for the policy positions of parliamentary candidates. European Political Science Review : EPSR, 16(4), 483–502. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1755773924000018
- Däubler, T., Debus, M. & Ecker, A. (2024). Party campaign statements and portfolio allocation in coalition governments. West European Politics, 47(1), 216–227. https://doi.org/10.1080/01402382.2022.2140397
- Palma, N. & Debus, M. (2024). The implications of the European financial crisis and parties’ positions on European integration on the outcomes of government formation processes in Southern Europe. South European Society & Politics, 28(2), 123–151. https://doi.org/10.1080/13608746.2024.2301834
- Bucher, H., Stroppe, A.-K., Burger, A. M., Faas, T., Schoen, H., Debus, M. & Roßteutscher, S. (2023). Special issue introduction. The GLES Open Science Challenge 2021: A pilot project on the applicability of registered reports in quantitative political science. Politische Vierteljahresschrift : PVS, 64(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11615-022-00436-0
- Gross, M., Müller, J., Stecker, C. & Debus, M. (2023). Navigating complexity: Exploring the changing dynamics of coalition avoidance in Germany, 1946-2023. Regional and Federal Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/13597566.2023.2268532
- Debus, M. & Florczak, C. (2022). Using party press releases and Wikipedia page view data to analyse developments and determinants of parties' issue prevalence: Evidence for the right-wing populist ‘Alternative for Germany’. Research & Politics : R&P, 9(3), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1177/20531680221116570
- Debus, M. & Himmelrath, N. (2022). Advocates of climate action? The age of members of parliament and their activity in legislative debates on climate change. Climate Action, 1(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44168-022-00017-2
- Jankowski, M., Kurella, A.-S., Stecker, C., Blätte, A., Bräuninger, T., Debus, M., Müller, J. & Pickel, S. (2022). Die Positionen der Parteien zur Bundestagswahl 2021: Ergebnisse des Open Expert Surveys. Politische Vierteljahresschrift : PVS, 63(1), 53–72. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11615-022-00378-7
- Sältzer, M. (2022). Finding the bird’s wings: Dimensions of factional conflict on Twitter. Party Politics, 28(1), 61–70. https://doi.org/10.1177/1354068820957960
- Debus, M. (2021). Einigendes und Trennendes zwischen den Parteien in Baden-Württemberg: Muster des Parteienwettbewerbs im Südwesten im Zeitverlauf. Bürger & Staat, 71(4), 197–205.
- Debus, M. (2021). Parteienwettbewerb und Wahrscheinlichkeit verschiedener Koalitionsoptionen bei der Bundestagswahl 2021. Politische Vierteljahresschrift : PVS, 63(1), 73–88. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11615-021-00361-8
- Debus, M. & Tosun, J. (2021). Political ideology and vaccination willingness: Implications for policy design. Policy sciences, 54(3), 477–491. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11077-021-09428-0
- Bäck, H. & Debus, M. (2020). Personalized versus partisan representation in the speeches of migrant members of parliament in the German Bundestag. Ethnic and Racial Studies : ERS, 43(9), 1673–1691. https://doi.org/10.1080/01419870.2019.1654112
- Debus, M. & Navarrete, R. M. (2020). Do regional party primaries affect the ideological cohesion of political parties in multilevel systems? Evidence from Spain. Party Politics, 26(6), 770–782. https://doi.org/10.1177/1354068818812200
- Sauermann, J., Tepe, M. & Debus, M. (eds.) (2022). Jahrbuch für Handlungs- und Entscheidungstheorie (Bd. 12) . Wiesbaden: Springer VS. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-35878-5
- Bäck, H., Debus, M. & Fernandes, J. M. (eds.) (2021). The politics of legislative debates . Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198849063.001.0001
- Bräuninger, T., Debus, M., Müller, J. & Stecker, C. (2020). Parteienwettbewerb in den deutschen Bundesländern (2. ed.) . Wiesbaden: Springer VS. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-29222-5
- Bäck, H. & Debus, M. (2024). Legislatures and legislative behaviour. In A. Vatter & R. Freiburghaus (eds.), Handbook of comparative political institutions (S. 248–262). Northhampton: Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781803929095.00024
- Debus, M. (2024). Muster des Parteienwettbewerbs zur Bundestagswahl 2021: Implikationen für die Regierungsbildung und die Stabilität der Ampelkoalition. In H. Schoen & B. Weßels (eds.), Wahlen und Wähler: Analysen zur Bundestagswahl 2021 (S. 27–47). Wiesbaden ; [Heidelberg]: Springer VS. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-42694-1_2
- Debus, M. (2024). Wer sind die Klimaskeptiker, und wie kann Vertrauen zurückgewonnen werden? In W. Kretschmann (eds.), Aus Zuversicht Wirklichkeit machen : Gedanken zum Zusammenhalt in Zeiten des Umbruchs (S. 223–232). Freiburg im Breisgau [u. a.]: Herder.
- Debus, M. (2023). Education, political sophistication, cohesive policy signals and proximity voting: Do voters choose the party that reflects their interests? In T. Faas, S. Huber, M. Krewel & S. Roßteutscher (eds.), Informationsflüsse, Wahlen und Demokratie : Festschrift für Rüdiger Schmitt-Beck (S. 269–288). Baden-Baden: Nomos. https://doi.org/10.5771/9783748915553-269
- Navarrete, R. M. & Debus, M. (2023). The importance of EU issues in German elections. In M. C. Lobo (eds.), The impact of EU politicisation on voting behaviour in Europe (S. 205–230). Cham: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-29187-6_8
- Debus, M. (2022). EU stances of mainstream political parties. In P. Graziano & J. Tosun (eds.), Elgar encyclopedia of European Union public policy (S. 575–585). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing.
- Debus, M. (2022). Politische Partizipation. In T. Rahlf (eds.), Deutschland in Daten. Zeitreihen zur historischen Statistik. (2., aktualisierte Auflage, S. 118–133). Bonn: Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung.
- Bäck, H., Debus, M. & Fernandes, J. M. (2021). The politics of legislative debates: An introduction. In H. Bäck, M. Debus & J. M. Fernandes (eds.), The politics of legislative debates (S. 1–20). Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198849063.003.0001
- Bäck, H., Debus, M. & Fernandes, J. M. (2021). Unpacking comparative patterns in legislative debates. In H. Bäck, M. Debus & J. M. Fernandes (eds.), The politics of legislative debates (S. 825–850). Oxford: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198849063.003.0040
- Debus, M. (2021). Kosmopolitisches und parochiales Freizeit- und Urlaubsverhalten und ihr Einfluss auf Kandidatensympathie und Wahlabsicht im Kontext der Bundestagswahl 2017. In B. Weßels & H. Schoen (eds.), Wahlen und Wähler : Analysen aus Anlass der Bundestagswahl 2017 (S. 273–295). Wiesbaden: Springer VS. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-33582-3_14
- Tosun, J. & Debus, M. (2021). Operationalising and explaining environmental policy styles. In M. Howlett & J. Tosun (eds.), The Routledge handbook of policy styles (S. 123–134). Abingdon ; New York, NY: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429286322-13
- Debus, M. & Müller, J. (2020). Soziale Konflikte, sozialer Wandel, sozialer Kontext und Wählerverhalten. In T. Faas (eds.), Politikwissenschaftliche Einstellungs- und Verhaltensforschung : Handbuch für Wissenschaft und Studium (S. 437–457). Baden-Baden: Nomos. https://doi.org/10.5771/9783845264899-435
- Schäfer, C. & Gross, M. (2020). Euroscepticism in times of crisis: A macro-level analysis of the Euro crisis’ effects on public opinion and party competition on European integration. In M. Baldassari (eds.), Anti-Europeanism : Critical perspectives towards the European Union (S. 31–55). Cham: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24428-6_3
- Sältzer, M. L. F. (2021). Determinants of individual position-taking on social media. [Doctoral dissertation, Universität Mannheim].
- Debus, M. (2023). Ursula von der Leyen, geb. Albrecht (CDU). In U. Kempf & M. Gloe, Kanzler und Minister 2013 – 2021 : biografisches Lexikon der deutschen Bundesregierungen (S. 245–250). Wiesbaden: Springer VS. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-38669-6_31
- Debus, M. (2024). Book review: Rationality of irrationality: Political determinants and effects of party position blurring, Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2022; $ 80.00 (hbk); $ 39.95 (pbk), ix + 229 pp. ISBN 9780472075539; 9780472055531. Review, Party Politics. https://doi.org/10.1177/13540688231211245