Parties: The left mainly attracts women

More young, more women, more West Germans: Die Linke has doubled and changed significantly since the beginning of the year. This emerges from internal member statistics that the German Press Agency is present. The proportion of women in membership has therefore increased by a good four percentage points to 44.5 percent since 2024. Almost 60 percent of all members are 35 years or younger.

According to preliminary figures from Friday, the left currently has 115,623 members – compared to 58,532 at the end of 2024. Since 2013, the left has had around 60,000 members, with a deep dent in 2022 (around 54,200) and 2023 (around 50,200). After the break with the wing around Sahra Wagenknecht, who founded its own party, the numbers gave up again – with a rapid boom since the beginning of the year.

Above average growth in the west

For their statistics, the party analyzed the final figures until the end of March 2025 who was added and where. Result: The West German associations from Schleswig-Holstein to Bavaria grew above average over average each. In the east, where the party was traditionally stronger, the regional associations grew less, but still by a third or more.

“The left has doubled within a year, which is an amazing success,” said Federal Chairman Ines Schwerdtner (35) to the numbers. “Of course the following applies: where there is a lot of movement, there is also friction. But above all I see the chances.” Many new members wanted to become active for distribution justice, peace and socially just climate protection and against political development to the right.

“What makes me particularly happy is that we have ranked the right to young people and women,” said Schwerdtner. “We are now when it comes to the membership, the youngest party and that with the highest proportion of women.”