= Freedomvote sheds light on Swiss candidates for national elections =
[ Read online: https://fsfe.org/news/2019/news-20191007-01.en.html ]
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 [1] 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 [2] 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 [3]. The software for the platform is
Free Software [4].
1: https://ch19.freedomvote.ch/
2: https://fsfe.org/campaigns/elections/freedomvote.en.html
3: https://fsfe.org/news/2015/news-20150916-01.en.html
4: https://github.com/freedomvote/freedomvote
== About the Free Software Foundation Europe ==
Free Software Foundation Europe is a charity that empowers users to
control technology. 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.
The FSFE helps individuals and organisations to understand how Free
Software contributes to freedom, transparency, and self-determination.
It enhances users' rights by abolishing barriers to Free Software
adoption, encourage people to use and develop Free Software, and
provide resources to enable everyone to further promote Free Software
in Europe.
http://fsfe.org