Freedomvote sheds light on Swiss candidates for national elections

on: 2019-10-07

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Freedomvote.ch is back. The Swiss Freedomvote campaign aims to give voters guidance about the candidates who are running for election. As in its previous edition from 2015, it offers candidates the opportunity to present their positioning on different digital topics, including Free Software. More than 160 candidates are already participating and prove that digital topics are becoming more and more important - for voters just as for candidates.

In the information age, citizens want to know how candidates position themselves on the key issues of Free Software and other digital rights. Software is deeply involved in all aspects of our lives; and it is important that this technology empowers rather than restricts us. Free Software gives everybody the rights to use, understand, adapt, and share software. These rights help support other fundamental freedoms like freedom of speech, press, and privacy.

Freedomvote.ch helps voters to find out which position is taken by the candidates in this regard, what values do they represent in a connected world? Do they have an awareness of digital sovereignty?

In 2019, freedomvote.ch is available again to the Swiss candidates and voters as an orientation for the upcoming national elections. Already more than 160 candidates created their profile on Freedomvote.ch and show their position on Free Software.

The National Council elections are due to take place on 20 October. The diversity and number of candidates means that the 2019 election decision will not be easy - especially with regard to questions concerning rights and freedoms in the digital world.

Freedomvote.ch helps providing answers and guidance. The profiles can not only be compared with each other, the questionnaire can also be filled out by voters and thus directly compared with their own values and priorities. These results can also be shared with the electorate on social media using the hashtag #freedomvote.

Freedomvote.ch is maintained by the local group Zurich of the Free Software Foundation Europe together with other organisations. It was run last time in 2015 in Switzerland. The software for the platform is Free Software.