The contact of the parties with potential new members has changed since the beginning of the corona pandemic. Events took place digitally - if at all. Left-of-centre parties in particular seem to have coped well with the changed situation.
Schwerin (dpa/mv) - Despite the restrictions in the corona pandemic, the number of party members in the northeast has increased. According to the parties in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, a total of 334 people have been added since the beginning of the pandemic. There was growth, especially left of center. As the Left Party announced, its number of members in the country is 476 points higher than at the end of 2019, at 2878. They are almost catching up with their current coalition partner SPD, which itself with currently 2972 party supporters in the same period has recorded a slight decrease of 43 had to accept.
On the left, the main explanation for the success in recruiting members is the state elections last year: election campaigns remained the "most intense time for direct contact and personal conversations on the streets, squares or at the garden fence."
With 270 more members to now 1254 in the Greens, the Left Party is not the only one who has obviously come to terms with the unusual situation. The Greens blame the increased relevance of their core issues and a greater visibility of the party due to mandates won at local, state and European level for the success. The FDP also jumped by 131 to 811 members.
Where there are winners, there are also losers: Despite a significant drop of 400 members since 2019, the CDU in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania remains the party with the largest number of members, with 4700 members. The party is losing members, primarily for demographic reasons: "Resignations from the party for political reasons are not a priority, we often have to regret the death of members," said the state association.
SPD state director Steffen Wehner does not see the pandemic as having a direct impact on recruiting new members, but rather on member retention due to the lack of exchange on the sidelines of party events.
The membership base of the AfD has declined the most, by 100 to currently 700 members nationwide. According to state spokesman Leif-Erik Holm, the lack of membership fees was the main reason for numerous departures. When it came to recruiting, the party was particularly burdened by the lack of opportunities for face-to-face events.
