“We won by losing.” This paradoxical notion is puzzling to say the least but it forces us to dig deeper: how can we win by losing?
This insightful question formed part of the conversation with Saar van Bueren, the Political and strategic communication Advisor at the Party of European Socialists (PES), during the second event of BSIS’s Politics, Power and Persuasion series at the end of 2020. She offered valuable insight as to how the Left is transforming its communications narrative and, as the quote above suggests, how they won by losing.
In the engaging session, van Bueren analyzed the 2019 campaign for the European Union’s Commission’s presidency of Mr. Frans Timmermans (pictured). As the campaign manager and at the fore-front of one of PES’s most compelling campaigns, she highlighted key strategies that set their effort apart.
The Left had been suffering a set-back in previous years; they were deemed as lacking confidence by the media so the campaign team decided to focus on a new narrative – one which would highlight achievements and would emphasize positive storytelling, all while making themselves more relatable to their voters.
Additionally, by focusing on young voters and women and by elevating their stories as part of their social media strategy, they were able to connect and give a voice to those who were feeling previously neglected. Their goal was to make it known to the public that their politicians “have their back,” that they will fight to defend their rights and that they will always be progressing towards a better future.
Moreover, catering to all EU countries is a challenge, to put it lightly, yet the campaign was able to identify several Pan-European issues that were prevalent in most countries, including but not limited to: sustainability, women’s rights, affordable housing, equality, freedom, among others. From there they launched a campaign which underscored how they were going to fight for a fair, free, and sustainable future.
Even though Mr. Timmermans wasn’t elected President of the European Commission, the progressive social and green agenda on which he campaigned – a specialist socialist agenda focused on a strong public sector and higher minimum wages – was taken on as the heart of the policy by the new EU Commission. As was the Green Deal and later, due to the COVID crisis, the green recovery. These goals, set by the campaign, are the ones that now resonate more with the people, given the current COVID 19 environment. As a result, the party has “won” because their issues are on the fore-front of policy-making in the EU.
Yet it is important to note that there were some valuable lessons to be learned by the Left and how there’s still room for improvement. As the discussion noted, the Left should acknowledge all its achievements and learn how to claim credit. Furthermore, throughout the conversation, attendees emphasized that given that the Left sets the bar so high, it is difficult for it to take pride in its wins. Leaders should underscore the importance of compromise, because often that is a win too.
To sum up, advocacy and campaigning may seem as a daunting task but even when the desirable outcomes aren’t achieved, there are still surprising ways in which one can win, and with the above as evidence, it is safe to say that the Left won by losing.