Poly(arylenevinylenes) comprising at least 20% of recurring units of the formula (I), ##STR1## where the symbols and indices have the following meanings: Aryl: is an aryl group having 4 to 14 carbon atoms; R': is a substituent which is either in the labeled phenylene position 5 or 6 and is CN, F, Cl, N(R.sup.1 R.sup.2) or a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl, alkoxy or thioalkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, in which, in addition, one or more H atoms may be replaced by F; R": are identical or different and are CN, F, Cl or a straight-chain, branched or cyclic alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, where one or more non-adjacent CH.sub.2 groups may be replaced by --O--, --S--, --CO--, --COO--, --O--CO--, --NR.sup.1 --, --(NR.sup.2 R.sup.3).sup.+ --A.sup.- or --CONR.sup.4 --, and where one or more H atoms may be replaced by F, or an aryl group having 4 to 14 carbon atoms, which may be substituted by one or more non-aromatic radicals R'; R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4 are identical or different and are H or an aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon radical having 1 to 20 carbon atoms; A.sup.- : is a singly charged anion or an equivalent thereof; and n: is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, are suitable as electroluminescent material.