"Germany speaks" about the election: "I gave Volt my second vote"

Mr. Özkardes, which topics are decisive for your cross on the ballot paper?

Kira Kramer

Editor on duty at FAZ.NET.

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There are many, but one topic is the focus for me: Europe.

Not only since this year's election, but also in previous elections.

The climate also plays a major role for me.

Fortunately, all parties have now recognized that this issue is important.

Which of the debates that you discussed in the context of “Germany speaks” bothered you the most?

In my debate, I was drawn to someone who would take part in the demonstrations against the Corona

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Policy measures. My conversation partner was generally very critical of this topic and we discussed the pros and cons in depth. It was interesting for me to get to know this person's point of view - also through the subsequent reporting on the protests. He was very disappointed because he felt the situation was misrepresented in the media. Our conversation gave me the chance to understand him better. Even if I disagreed with him. I think it's important to get into conversation with people who have a different view of things. I wanted to hear from him personally why he does not want to be vaccinated and why he goes to the demonstrations. In this respect, the debates about Corona have preoccupied me the most.

Did your discussion in the context of “Germany speaks” also help you to make your voting decision?

Probably not, I had already decided beforehand who I want to vote for - and above all who I don't want to vote for.

There were a lot of debates on Germany Speaks and I cannot claim to be an expert on all of them.

Probably nobody can do that.

However, the conversation helped me to better understand the complex situation and to get a different perspective on it.

Instead, where do you look for guidance for your choice?

A mixture of election programs, triales and news.

And I also find the Wahl-O-Mat extremely helpful.

I am grateful that there is such a thing.

There I can see at a glance how the parties are positioned and how they stand on issues that are important to me personally.

Wahl-O-Mat showed me which parties I could vote for.

It is also important to me to evaluate the parties in the long term: What have I heard from the parties over the past few years?

Not only in the period of the so-called election campaign, when all parties are clearly more visible in the media.

To a certain extent, sympathies and antipathies for different candidates also play a role.

Do you vote according to party or person, are you loyal to the party or a changeover voter?

I am not really loyal to the party.

I don't blind my cross to a party just because I've voted for it before.

I'm too young for that too.

So far, I've only had three federal elections behind me.

Ask me the same question again in 30 years (laughs).

I look at the topics when I make a choice.

However, I do not find it unimportant which person we put at the head of our country.

Unfortunately, the electoral system does not allow me to vote for this person directly.

That is too bad.

So one is forced to look at the party and the program.

I have elected a party whose candidates I do not consider suitable for the Chancellery.

The party’s themes, however, convinced me.

Which two adjectives do you use to describe the election campaign?

Overrated and out of date. Let me explain: As a relatively young voter of 36 years old, I no longer need the whole city to be hung with election posters. I think that's a waste of material. They end up in the trash after the election. I hope that they are least recycled. On the other hand, I think the word election campaign is exaggerated. So before the election there is fighting - and what will the parties do for the remaining three and a half years? Personally, I don't measure the parties by this 'struggle', but by their actions and demeanor over the entire legislative period, not just in the short period before the election, when everyone wants to show their best side. That is why I think the election campaign is overrated. On the other hand, I think the debates between the candidates, such as the Trielle, are good. They help meto form my opinion. There should always be. There is no party that suits me one hundred percent. But you just have to choose between what is available.

Do you already know who you will vote for?

I have already voted by postal vote.

I gave Volt my second vote because it is the only Europe-wide party.

I think that's important because of the symbolism alone.

Volt is a good role model for the future of Europe, for a united Europe.

A Europe in which there are parties that you can vote for anywhere - together with a Spaniard or a Bulgarian.

I gave the first vote to a green candidate, although I do not consider the top green candidate to be suitable for the Chancellery.

Nevertheless, I hope that they will be involved in the formation of the government.

Melih Özkardes is 36 years old and works at the Rheinisch-Westfaelische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) in Aachen.

He lives with his family in Maastricht.

So far he has discussed once as part of “Germany speaks”, the next conversation is imminent.