For the state elections in Saxony and Thuringia on September 1, a free app is now available to help voters make their decision. The tool from the non-profit association VoteSwiper is already being used for the 36th time to help voters choose a party, the organizers announced. Instead of having to work through all the party manifestos, the so-called WahlSwiper uses almost 40 questions to guide voters through various topics of current state politics.
"Our aim is to support voters in their election decision in a scientific and at the same time playful way - and thus also to strengthen political interest and political discourse," explained political scientist Uwe Wagschal from the University of Freiburg. He and his team developed the questions based on the party manifestos. The parties were given 57 questions to answer, of which 38 questions were ultimately selected in Saxony and 37 in Thuringia.
In Saxony and Thuringia, an Election-O-Mat run by the state centers for political education also provides help in making decisions. Roland Löffler, head of the state center in Saxony, sees the Wahl-O-Mat primarily as a tool for political education. "The aim is political information, political participation, a greater understanding of what is at stake in this state election," he said.
