Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Explaining the Wahl-O-Mat

Back around a dozen years ago in Germany....some geeky political folks came up with a App that helps an undecided voter determine the 'best' political party in an election.  The App was developed by the Federal Center for Political Education (bpb).

It's been worked up on various occasions to handle EU, Bundestag, or individual state elections.

Typically, it'll ask 38 questions....do you support this and the answer you choose is yes, no, or neutral.

For example....up in the Hamburg region....there is a question that asks if you support the deepening of the Hamburg harbor.  Various parties have taken a position on the topic.  Most people will say they don't care one way or another.  For some voters, it's important.

I took the Wahl-O-Mat last night....eventually coming to the recommendation that I'd fit better with the Pirate Party.

My observation?  For most Germans, there are two or three things in the mix which draw you historically....over and over....to the same political party.  For roughly half the adult population however....you might find one single election where a dozen things have occurred over the past year or two, and you seek to 'punish' your old party, or send a signal to all parties.  

The Wahl-O-Mat is hyped by the public news media, and generally encouraged among the younger generation.  If you go asking Germans over forty...I'd take a guess that the vast majority (probably over 75-percent) have never used it.

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