Landtagswahl: Was Sie zur Landtagswahl in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern wissen sollten

On 20th September, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern will elect a new Landtag. During the campaign, key issues such as economy, bureaucracy reduction, internal security, healthcare, education, migration and asylum will be discussed. To determine which party aligns best with your views, the online tool called Wahl-O-Mat can be used. By answering a series of questions, you can compare your stance with that of the parties running for the election.

The Wahl-O-Mat provides essential information regarding the Landtagswahl in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the Wahl-O-Mat itself, and other digital voting aids. The Wahl-O-Mat for the election in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is available at: How does the Wahl-O-Mat work? To begin, assess statements on national political topics, clicking either "vote yes," "vote no," "neutral," or "skip this thesis."

Statements you find particularly important can also be weighted. Subsequently, the Wahl-O-Mat calculates which party in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern aligns most closely with your positions. You can also compare your responses with those of the parties in detail. The tool is purely a helpful guide, not a recommendation for voting. How are the theses and answers generated?

An independent team develops the theses of the Wahl-O-Mat and selects them. Comprising young voters from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, experts from academia, journalism, and education, as well as employees of the Federal Center for Political Education (bpb), the team submits 80 theses to the 38 eligible parties for response. Afterward, 38 theses are chosen for the Wahl-O-Mat, covering significant election topics and those controversially answered by the parties.

The parties are not involved in the creation or selection of the theses; they simply submit their responses and justifications. All parties permitted for the Landtagswahl are invited to participate. More information about the Wahl-O-Mat can be found on the website of the Federal Center for Political Education. Who is behind the Wahl-O-Mat?

The Wahl-O-Mat is offered by the Federal Center for Political Education, a federal agency under the Ministry of the Interior, pursuing the goal of promoting democratic awareness among the population and motivating Germans to become knowledgeable, critical, and active participants in politics. The legal basis for the bpb's work is a decree of the Federal Interior Ministry from January 24, 2001.

The Federal Center for Political Education has existed since 1952. A politically balanced stance in the bpb's work is monitored by a board consisting of 22 members of the German Bundestag. Additionally, a scientific advisory board of up to twelve experts supports the bpb on fundamental matters. The Wahl-O-Mat has been available since 2002, and it is published with current information before Land- and Bundestag elections, as well as European Parliament elections.

When is the election in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and when is the Wahl-O-Mat available? The election in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern takes place on Sunday, September 20th. The polling stations are open between 8 and 18 hours. For those unable to vote in person, there is the option for postal voting. The Wahl-O-Mat for the election is available online starting August 24th at 1:30 PM.

What are complementary tools to the Wahl-O-Mat for the Landtagswahl? The Wahl-O-Mat is not the only aid for undecided voters. The online voting aid Party-Check, developed for the European Parliament election 2024 and further developed for the Bundestag election 2025, allows users to calculate how strongly their positions align with the parties based on 15 to 20 questions.

The Party-Check serves as a scientific party test, complementing the Wahl-O-Mat, as it is based on neutral analysis by independent political experts. Another tool, the WahlSwiper, allows users to answer questions by swiping left (for "No") or right (for "Yes"). The tool then determines how strongly the user's positions align with those of the parties.

According to the operators, 17 parties have submitted their answers for the Landtagswahl in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Which parties are authorized for the Landtagswahl? In the Landtagswahl on September 20th, 19 parties will be contesting. The decision on which parties appear on the ballot was made on July 30th by the Land Electoral Committee of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Apart from the established fractions and the FDP group, the following parties were authorized following a statement from the Land Electoral Officer: Communist Party of Germany (KPD), Party for Progress (PdF), WIR LEBEN DEMOKRATIE (WLD), PARTY OF MANKIND CLIMATE ANIMAL PROTECTION (Tierschutzpartei), Pirate Party, Handwerker Partei, Volt, Team Freedom, Alliance C – Christians for Germany, Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht – Reason and Justice (BSW), Free Voters, The Party, and Ecological Democratic Party (ÖDP).

The legislature in the current term consists of 79 members in the Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, representing five fractions or groups, with four being unaffiliated.