Gregor Gysi, the prominent figure of the Left Party, has expressed skepticism about his success on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram and others.
“We are discussing in the Left group whether we should leave some of these platforms altogether and find alternative ways to communicate” Gysi told the Bayern Media Group on Wednesday. “The problem in an election campaign is what gets seen and what doesn’t get seen. But I also think that we should at least draw a line after the election.”
As the 77-year-old Gysi is a key figure in the Left Party’s Bundestag election campaign, he has gained a significant following on social media, particularly among young people who enjoy the memes featuring the Berlin-based Left Party member.
Gysi himself is surprised by his success on social media, given his age. “I didn’t know beforehand how young people would react. They could have said, ‘The three oldies should just go home.’ But they are completely enthusiastic. It’s gone so far now that I’ve told the other two ‘silver locks’ that we should finally also target the older generation, as they are the majority in the population.”
Together with Bodo Ramelow (68) and Dietmar Bartsch (66), Gysi is aiming to secure three direct mandates in the Bundestag election with the “Mission Silver Locks” and thereby ensure the Left Party’s return to the parliament.