Who are the Freie Wähler?

Speaker:
Dr. Michael Angenendt, Senior Researcher at the Düsseldorf Party Research Institute (PRUF)

Moderator:
Dr. Eric Langenbacher, Senior Fellow and Director of the Society, Culture & Politics Program at AGI

Although they have been around for several decades, it is only in the last decade or so that the Free Voters (Freie Wähler) have risen in prominence. They are particularly strong in the state of Bavaria, having participated in a coalition with the Christian Social Union since 2018 and polling as high at 17 percent in conjunction with the upcoming Bavarian election on October 8. Gaining ground in other states like Brandenburg, Hessen, and Rhineland-Palatinate, the Free Voters are increasingly a political force to be reckoned with. Beyond a hyper-local focus, however, what are the issues that animate the party? Where do the Free Voters lie on the ideological spectrum? Who votes for them and why? AGI will delve into these questions through a webinar with Dr. Michael Angenendt from the University of Düsseldorf.

Dr. Michael Angenendt
Michael Angenendt is a Senior Researcher at the Düsseldorf Party Research Institute (PRUF). He earned his PhD in Political Science from the University of Düsseldorf. His areas of research and teaching encompass political parties and party systems, elections, and public opinion. Michael has been published in a range of national and international journals, including Party Politics, Electoral Studies, and German Politics. In 2021, he authored a book on independent local parties. Additionally, he co-wrote a study on European political parties for the European Union. Between 2018 and 2019, he led a project examining the communication strategies of populist parties.

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This event is supported with funds from The Harry and Helen Gray Program.