ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the backgrounds, community ties and roles of German local political and administrative elites. It provides particular emphasis to the question of whether significant differences exist, both between the two parts of Germany and between different types of elites, as well as differences that occur along partisan lines. The chapter focuses on the questions raised in the debates by examining the backgrounds of local government elites within Germany. In Germany, the length of political experience varies significantly across the different parties. Research on the background of political/administrative elites in the federal government in Germany has demonstrated that there is a very pronounced tendency for people in such positions to come from families whose members have held political or public administration jobs. In other words, political/administrative elite membership is heavily dependent upon one's parents' membership in such elites. There are different theoretical perspectives on the origins and characteristics of democratic elites.
