PERSPECTIVE DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS TRANSFORMATION OF THE LEFT The Resonance of Progressive Programs among the Potential Social Democratic Electorate This policy brief argues and shows that the main voter losses of social democratic parties(to rival left-wing and mainstream right parties) occur for contrasting reasons. Hence, there is no single programmatic shift – to the »left« or the»right« – to address voter losses effectively. Rather, social democratic parties need to carefully consider the extent to which programmatic appeals create trade-offs, gaining some voters, at the expense of losing others. Silja Häusermann, Herbert Kitschelt, Tarik Abou-Chadi, Reto Mitteregger, Nadja Mosimann, Philipp Rehm and Markus Wagner January 2021 To study these potential trade­offs, the policy brief suggests four stylized programmatic strategies social democratic parties may pursue: Old Left, New Left, Left National and Centrist programs. The policy brief discusses evidence from Austria and Germany on the relative pay-offs of these strategies.