‘Back from the brink’: Lessons in political resurrection from around the world

In politics, no party stays dominant forever. Many once-powerful parties have come close to political extinction, only to revive by adapting to shifting social, economic, and generational landscapes.

In Thailand, both Pheu Thai and the Democrat Party, once the country’s two main poles, now face a similar test. As younger voters turn elsewhere and traditional power networks seek new anchors, both must prove whether they can come back in a new political era.

Experiences from abroad show that political decline is not irreversible. Parties in the UK, Greece, Germany, and Japan have all bounced back after severe setbacks, by learning, adapting, and seizing the right moment. Their stories offer valuable lessons for Thai politics today.

 

The UK Labour Party: From heavy defeat to a national rebrand

After 14 years out of power, Britain’s Labour Party achieved a landslide victory in the 2024 general election, ending the Conservative era defined by economic turmoil, soaring living costs, and political chaos that saw three prime ministers in just four months.

Under Keir Starmer, Labour’s message was simple but powerful: Change. He presented the party as a symbol of stability after years of disorder. 

Though not a charismatic leader, Starmer successfully restored Labour’s credibility among centrist voters by focusing on pragmatic priorities, reviving public services, tackling the cost-of-living crisis, and improving trade relations with the EU without rejoining it.

Greece’s New Democracy: Stability as a comeback strategy

Greece’s New Democracy Party suffered a sharp decline after the 2009 debt crisis. Yet under Kyriakos Mitsotakis, it rebranded from a discredited conservative establishment into a party of stability and growth.

By 2023, New Democracy Party won back-to-back elections within five weeks, capturing over 40% of the vote and securing a clear parliamentary majority. 

Educated at Harvard and hailing from a political dynasty, Mitsotakis repositioned the party as pro-business and technocratic, promising jobs, economic revival, and foreign investment. Even after national tragedies, many Greeks stuck with ND, viewing stability as safer than risky change.

Germany’s Christian Democratic Union: Reclaiming the centre After Merkel

Following Angela Merkel’s departure in 2021, Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) faced its worst identity crisis in decades. But under Friedrich Merz, the party made a strong comeback in the 2025 federal election, winning over 30% of the vote and returning as the largest party in parliament.

This resurgence came amid deep political fragmentation. The far-right AfD surged past 20%, while the ruling Social Democrats (SPD) slumped to their lowest result in decades, with just 16.4%. Older and centrist voters turned back to the CDU as the most trustworthy and steady option in an increasingly polarised society. Merz thus restored the CDU as the anchor of reasonable, institutional stability in chaotic times.

Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party: The survivor of all crises

Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) remains a textbook case of political resilience. Dominant since 1955, it suffered a historic defeat in 2009 to the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), largely due to public fatigue, economic stagnation, and corruption scandals.

But within just three years, under Shinzo Abe’s “Abenomics,” the LDP roared back to power with sweeping victories in 2012 and beyond, rebuilding public confidence and governing Japan for another decade.

Now, in 2025, the LDP again faces headwinds after losing its majority in both houses. Yet it has chosen a new leader, Sanae Takaichi, the former economic security minister, poised to become Japan’s first female prime minister. Her rise signals the party’s intent to rebrand once more in response to new challenges: a slowing economy, an ageing population, and growing geopolitical tensions.

The LDP’s long survival shows one truth: political fatigue can destroy a party, but only if it fails to renew itself.

The comeback formula: 4 lessons from political survivors

Across Europe and Asia, parties that “almost fell asleep” but woke again share four key traits.

First, visionary leadership. New leaders bring not just new faces, but new hope, projecting competence and stability. Keir Starmer and Friedrich Merz both offered steady leadership at times when voters were weary of chaos.

Second, ideological flexibility. Revival often depends on reading the public mood and adjusting priorities, from economic recovery to welfare or security, shifting away from extremes toward practical centrism.

Third, internal unity. Parties recovering from defeat must rebuild internal discipline. Starmer’s emphasis on party coherence was central to Labour’s rehabilitation.

Finally, timing and opportunity. Successful parties often capitalise on rivals’ failures—like New Democracy rising after voters lost faith in the Greek left, or Japan’s LDP returning after the DPJ faltered in government.

These cases show that resilience in politics is not about never falling, but about learning how to rise again.

Lessons for Thailand’s “old” parties

The experiences of all parties mentioned reveal that political decline is not the end, it is a chance to evolve. Parties survive when they understand changing societies and align themselves with voters’ expectations.

For Thailand, both Pheu Thai and the Democrat Party stand at a similar crossroads. Pheu Thai still commands a strong network but must prove its relevance to younger generations and to evolving democratic ideals. The Democrat Party, once a national force, faces the urgent task of redefining its image, leadership, and communication strategy in an era vastly different from its glory days.

The message from abroad is clear: parties cannot survive on their past—they endure by adapting to the future. Political revival is not a matter of luck, but the art of rebuilding trust and offering credible hope when the public needs it most.

Article by Stithorn Thananithichot, Political Scientist, Chulalongkorn University