From Story to Glory — How the Left Party used Storytelling for its Comeback

In just two months, the Left Party in Germany went from being virtually written off for this election to winning 8.8%. In the news, the success is described as “unexpected”, a “surprise” or even a “miracle”¹. Speculation is rife as to how they did it. I won’t argue with any of the theories, but I will add my own: The Left Party did an excellent job of storytelling.

In fact, the Left Party did such a good job that I kept their flyer (which happened to be the only direct campaign advertisement I received) as an example.

Let’s look at the numbers: In this election the party got 3.9% more votes than in 2021 (before the BSW split from the party), and 6.1% more than in the 2024 EU elections (after the split). This puts it only about 3% behind the Greens. It has also reached its highest membership since it was founded².

So what have they done right?

Disclaimer: This is not a representation of my own conviction or vote, but an exploration of my observations during the election campaign. Also, when I refer to examples of campaign ads, I am referring to advertisements in my local neighbourhood, other places in Germany may have had different ones.

It’s About the Voter

The Left Party put the voter in the spotlight. All their adverts said: It’s about you, and this is what you get when we are in charge (or opposition). This is both an inherently democratic approach (we see ourselves as responsible for — and capable of — making the world a better place for you) and a great way for leaders to communicate.

In contrast, the posters of the Greens were boring: A face with meaningless phrases that passed through my brain without leaving a trace. A poor job when they could have promised us a better future. Putting up a sign promising better air next to a bus stop on a busy street in winter? I hear you. But they didn’t.

The SPD deserves a special mention. They had posters with similar promises to those of the Left Party. In fact, I walked past them several times before I realised they were not from the Left Party. Why did I confuse them? Because they promised more “netto” — a promise I associated with the Left Party based on their respective programmes.

Speaking of confusion, the CDU chose blue as the background colour for their posters. An … interesting choice. Their message to the voter? “Vote for us with both your votes.” A message that is reasonable in view of the changes in the composition of the Bundestag due to the change in the law during the traffic light coalition government. It’s also very much a “me me me” message, and the voter is only a means to the party’s end. The tone is authoritarian. Not a comforting one, especially not in combination with the chosen color. I hope that everyone who voted for the CDU will exercise their democratic responsibility to ensure that the party distances itself from extremists and extremism (including the topics they like to discuss). For example, by sending letters and direct feedback to their elected representatives.

On the front page of the Left Party flyer, the friendly sentence “Du verdienst mehr”³ is written in large red letters. Apart from it being an excellent pun — who wouldn’t like to earn more money?

It’s a Story

In the flyer, the Left Party talks about the problems many people face today: Life is too expensive.

They set the scene with an empathetic observation: “The last few years have been hard.” Again, this speaks to everyone. We’ve had more than enough crises to agree on that.

Now that they’ve appealed to everyone, the Left Party focuses on their key message and appeals to emotions: “In winter, more and more people have to choose between a warm home and a warm meal.”

The traffic light coalition parties have not solved the problem. But something has to be done.

Enter: The antagonist Merz, who together with the CDU, CSU, FDP and AFD wants to make the situation of the people worse than it has ever been before.

The Left Party is ready to oppose them and promises to be the voice of the people. What follows is a summary of possible actions to achieve this goal and a more detailed summary of their programme to give weight to their statements.

On their posters they use witty humour against the real antagonists of the story: The rich who profit from those who suffer: “Ist deine Heizung zu teuer, macht jemand richtig Kohle.”⁴

All of this has been coupled with a huge commitment to bringing the story to the people. And attention is returned in kind.

It’s an expert display of storytelling and the clarity that accompanies it. And what is more:

It’s Backed Up with Facts

Most Germans would benefit financially from the Left Party’s programme. Much more than from that of the SPD or any other party. That is why the story of the Left Party works and the SPD poster does not. The SPD has a weak, if any, factual foundation. As a friend of mine put it: “The Left Party has managed to make itself believable”.

People need to trust democracy if it is to survive, and with their campaign the Left Party has reached out a hand. Although they have their own history of disputes, they have set an impressive example of how to pick up the pieces, turn their vision into a compelling story and start over.

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Image generated by DALL·E.

• Storytelling
• Communication