The Christian-democratic Movement in European Countries after World War II

Abstract

This article discusses the formation of the Christian Democratic movement in Europe after World War II. Despite the existence of objective conditions for the success of either left-wing political parties or at least the left wing of the Christian Democrats, only conservatives could take over the leadership of post-war European countries for many years. Moreover, their coming to power allowed the implementation of the largest integration project on the European continent, ultimately leading to the creation of the European Union. Examining the main reasons for the success of the Christian Democrats, the author concludes that chief among them were Christian values as such — in contrast to previous people’s parties more signifi cant reliance on the Catholic Church and its teachings — and the absence of obstacles from the Holy See towards the participation of Catholics in political activities.

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