WASHINGTON – As Germany prepares for its snap federal election on February 23, the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) has released a “German Election Preview,” authored by Claire Ainsley. The report provides a deep dive into the electoral landscape, key policy debates, and the broader lessons for center-left parties globally.
The election marks the first since Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) won the Chancellery in 2021, ending years of Christian Democrat Union (CDU) dominance. However, as Germans return to the polls, the CDU is poised to reclaim power, while the SPD struggles in third place behind the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has doubled its support since 2021.
“The German election is not just a national event — it has global significance,” said Claire Ainsley, Director of PPI’s Center-Left Renewal Project. “The SPD’s difficulties mirror the broader challenges for center-left parties in balancing economic credibility, climate ambition, and voter concerns over immigration. Their experience provides crucial lessons for Democrats in the U.S. and Labour in the U.K. as they navigate similar political headwinds.”
Key findings from the report include:
The report argues that the SPD’s struggles highlight a larger challenge for center-left parties worldwide: the need to deliver tangible economic benefits to working people while avoiding policies that deepen voter alienation.
“With working-class voters moving away from the center-left in multiple democracies, leaders must focus on delivering real results — whether on economic security, immigration, or energy affordability,” said Ainsley. “Otherwise, these voters will continue to look elsewhere, as we’ve seen in the U.S. and across Europe.”
After the U.S. navigated its own electoral challenges in 2024 and focuses on the future, PPI’s report offers critical insights into how progressive parties can adapt and rebuild durable political majorities.
Read and download the report here.
PPI’s project on Center-Left Renewal was launched in January 2023 to catalyze and create a renewal of the center-left, sharing ideas, strategies, and research around the world. Since its inception, the project has facilitated a shared exchange between center-left parties, contributing new ideas and analysis designed to further the prospects of the center-left. The project’s outputs are shared by PPI here: www.progressivepolicy.org/project/project-on-center-left-renewal/. Sign up to our project mailing list at info@ppionline.org.
Founded in 1989, PPI is a catalyst for policy innovation and political reform based in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to create radically pragmatic ideas for moving America beyond ideological and partisan deadlock. Learn more about PPI by visiting progressivepolicy.org. Find an expert at PPI and follow us on X.
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Media Contact: Ian O’Keefe – iokeefe@ppionline.org
