ABSTRACT
The term “personalization” in politics evokes media pictures of French presidents who, freshly divorced, whisper sweet nothings to former top-models, or of German Ministers of Defence who pose for photographs with their girlfriends in a swimming pool while the military troops are preparing for an assignment abroad. However, these examples represent only one aspect of the phenomenon that is discussed under the label “personalization of politics” in the scientifi c literature. Personalization in this broader perspective refers to a development in which politicians become the main anchor of interpretations and evaluations in the political process (Holtz-Bacha, Lessinger, & Hettesheimer, 1998)—be it as individuals with political or non-political traits. The claim is that personalization is changing the focus of politics from topics to people and from parties to politicians.
