The Conservative Parties in the UK and in Germany, the Welfare States, and the Conservative Parties

The self-affirmation of religions in the public sphere belongs to the most disputed topics both in scientific research and in political debates. Nonetheless, it is legitimate to ask oneself if the relationship between the democratic states and the religious groups can be limited to the presence of the Islamic veil or Christian crosses. Are religions only contesting subgroups on the fringes of secularised European societies? I challenge this view by analysing the interaction between conservative parties in the UK and Germany and Christian Churches on public policies since the 2000s. My main thrust is that the evolution of the neoliberal state allows religion to reaffirm their strength under the impact of overstretched Welfare State and the New Public Management. Sinking social spending and a privatized state make it possible for religion to play a role on social, education and health issues. My method rests on a sociological inquiry on the interaction between conservative parties and Christian Churches. I therefore aim at clarifying the economic and cultural capital (P. Bourdieu) that legitimate the intervention of religions in the social sector. Christian Churches, a substitute for a post-thatcherian state?"