Polling and the 2025 Bundestag Election

Panelists:
Peter Matuschek, Director of Research, FORSA
Yvonne Schroth, Managing Director, Forschungsgruppe Wahlen

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

In this webinar, Yvonne Schroth and Peter Matuschek discuss recent public opinion polling trends, the issues German voters care about, and what factors influence preferences. As the campaign for the next Bundestag enters the last hectic weeks, political scientists and pollsters are scrutinizing public opinion data in the hopes of forecasting what we can expect on the evening of February 23rd. What are the most salient polling trends thus far? How are the various chancellor candidates assessed? What issues and cleavages seem important? How well will the AfD do, and will the FDP or Left even make it into parliament?

Peter Matuschek is Director of Research Forsa Institute in Berlin. Since 2007, he has been responsible for FORSA research projects on elections and public opinion on all levels of the political system as well as for reporting on polling results and consulting. Matuschek also regularly collaborates as a political analyst with different media and scientific institutions. Before joining FORSA, Matuschek worked at the Center for European and North American Studies in Göttingen, the University of Potsdam, and the Mannheim Center for European Social Research. He holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Göttingen.

Yvonne Schroth is Managing Director of Forschungsgruppe Wahlen e.V. She has produced numerous publications that have primarily covered electoral research and methods of survey research. Having completed studies in sociology and educational science at the University of Heidelberg from 1990-1995, Schroth went on to work as Research Assistant at the Institute of Sociology at the University of Heidelberg, where she subsequently completed a PhD at the Institute in 1999. After eight years as Research Assistant with Forschungsgruppe Wahlen, she became Member of the Board in 2007. Her work includes producing the “6pm” forecast and projections for ZDF broadcasts on German television. Schroth’s main focuses are samples, political polls, and political consulting.

This event will convene via Zoom. Please contact AGI Program Associate Mr. Jack Fornasiero at jfornasiero@aicgs.org with any questions.

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