German Politician Campaigns in Seven Languages to Win Migrant Votes
Jan van Aken, co-leader of Germany's Left Party, has taken an unusual approach to campaigning ahead of the Baden-Württemberg state election. In the days leading up to the vote, he released videos addressing voters in multiple languages—including Turkish, Arabic, and even sign language. The move marks the first time a major party leader has personally spoken to migrant communities in their own languages.
Van Aken's campaign strategy was inspired by Zohran Mamdani, a left-wing New York city councilor known for his multilingual outreach. Over three days before the election, the Left Party leader recorded messages in Italian, Turkish, Greek, Arabic, Bosnian, and sign language. His core message urged voters to back the Left Party to tackle issues like rising rents and job insecurity.
While other parties, including the far-right AfD, have used foreign-language materials in past campaigns, van Aken is the first party leader to deliver such messages himself. His approach contrasts with Cem Özdemir of the Greens, who—despite his own migration background—sticks to Swabian German when speaking to voters, only occasionally referencing his immigrant roots.
Not everyone is convinced by van Aken's method. Özgür Özvatan, a political consultant, questioned its effectiveness, pointing to pronunciation issues and a perceived lack of authenticity. Some suggested that standing alongside a native speaker for real-time translation might have worked better.
Van Aken's multilingual campaign has set him apart from other candidates in Baden-Württemberg. By directly addressing migrant voters in their own languages, he aimed to connect on issues like housing and employment. Whether this strategy will translate into votes remains to be seen.
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