Free beer for voters: Duisburg fights against low turnout!

Free beer for voters: Duisburg fights against low turnout!

On February 15, 2025, a special campaign for the Bundestag election took place in Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, which aimed to increase the turnout. According to n-tv , who received their election certificate at a letter voting point for a free drink On the beer car of a local brewery. The campaign ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and offered both freshly tapped beer and non-alcoholic drinks. This offer was particularly aimed at citizens who are not motivated to choose from by usual election campaigns.

The initiative was supported by Duisburg Carnivalists who distributed vouchers that could be redeemed against drinks on the beer car. Duisburg's district election manager Martin Murrack said that the measure aimed to address people who do not feel addressed by traditional election calls. Despite these creative approaches, the turnout in Duisburg has been below the nationwide average for years. In the constituency of Duisburg II, the turnout was only 63.3 percent in 2021, while the national average was 76.6 percent.

background to the turnout

The falling turnout is a problem that not only affects Duisburg, but can also be observed nationwide. As Ruhr24 , the reasons for the falling interest in elections are diverse. Increased distrust of political institutions, the feeling of fainting and the perception of corruption means that many citizens alienate from political debates.

Demographic factors also play a role. Younger voters, especially between the ages of 18 and 24, show a still lower turnout of only 55%, while over 80% of 60-year-olds take part in elections. Many political decision -makers therefore rely on education and information campaigns to increase voter motivation and to reduce barriers for participation.

an example of civic engagement

The cooperation between local organizations such as the carnivalists and the brewery in Duisburg is a concrete example of how cities actively try to motivate their citizens. On the occasion of the Bundestag election, the inner city letter voting point opened and offered the eligible voters the opportunity to give their votes on site. In addition to the creative design of such actions, the analysis emphasizes that long -term approaches to strengthen trust in political institutions are decisive.

The exchange between institutions and the public, along with more transparency in political decision -making processes, could be crucial to increase the turnout again. The campaign in Duisburg is a step in the right direction to awaken interest in political decisions and to promote wider citizen participation.