Christian democracy is a political ideology that seeks to apply Christian principles to public policy. It emerged in nineteenth-century Europe, largely under the influence of Catholic social teaching, and it continues to be influential in Europe and Latin America, though in a number of countries its Christian ethos has been diluted by secularisation.

In practice, Christian democracy is often considered conservative on cultural, social and moral issues and progressive on fiscal and economic issues. In Europe, where their opponents have traditionally been secularist socialists and social democrats, Christian democratic parties are moderately conservative, whereas in the very different cultural and political environment of Latin America they tend to lean to the left.

Examples of Christian democratic parties include the German Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the Christian Democrat Party of Chile, Fine Gael in Ireland and the Christian Democratic People's Party of Switzerland.