The interwar Depression led to the disintegration of liberal economic and political values.  In Germany in 2009 not only was there was no swing to political extremism of the right: there was no sign of any support for a radical right.  In the elections for regional parliaments, the small radical right parties (which have never been a feature of national politics) simply disappeared.
Il est communément admis qu’en temps de détresse économique les électeurs punissent les partis et les politiciens en exercice. Durant toute la campagne, il n’y a jamais eu aucun doute sur la place ni sur la popularité de la chancelière Angela Merkel.