At the University of Cologne, almost 50,000 students are called upon to elect their student parliament, but very few cast their vote. A search for the reasons for the low voter turnout.
Something is different at the University of Cologne: Overnight, the Philosophikum and the lecture hall building were wallpapered with election posters so that almost nothing can be seen from the walls. Instead of party flyers, students are given voting recommendations. The reason for this: Every year in December, all first-time listeners are allowed to vote: the student parliament, the faculty representation and the SHK Council as well as the student representatives in the Senate, the narrow faculty and the equal opportunities commission.
Educational work for more voter participation
The problem: Hardly anyone goes to vote. Just 14.7 percent of students checked their boxes last year - and that is already a top figure compared to other universities in North Rhine-Westphalia. The political university groups and student councils are doing their best to encourage their fellow students to vote. They fight for every vote by clarifying what is being voted for.
“The student parliament, StuPa for short, decides on 19.5 million euros in semester contributions,” explains Nicholas Hellmann. The 22-year-old student is on the list of the Cologne Juso University Group. He is also responsible for public relations at the General Student Committee (AStA).
Hardly anyone is interested in the work of the AStA
“Hardly anyone knows where the semester fee goes. Very few people know that students can influence this,” says Nicholas. It seems to be a vicious circle: Because many people don't know what the StuPa does, they are not interested in its work. Because they don't know what's happening in the StuPa, they don't care about the choice.
During election week, Nicholas first explains to most students who pass by one of the voting booths what it's about: that there are 51 representatives in the StuPa who elect the AStA. That the faculty representation is, so to speak, the StuPa at the faculty level that discusses problems at the faculty. That there are three elected student representatives in the Senate alongside professors and other university employees. That the SHK Council represents the interests of student assistants towards the university.
The AStA, the “executive arm” of parliament and the official external representation, tries to provide information about its work – previously, for example, through the AStA magazine “Vorlaut”. But that was printed a lot, but also shredded a lot. Most copies ended up in the trash, which is why public relations efforts have shifted mainly to social networks.
Pretty complicated: seven votes on seven ballot papers
One would actually think that aspiring academics in particular are politically interested. But apparently many of the almost 50,000 students at the University of Cologne don't want to know what's going on at their university. “Many students probably have the feeling that they just want to study quickly here,” says Nicholas, explaining the low turnout. “They want to access this service and do not see the university as an institution that they can help shape.”
In addition, Nicholas admits, the elections are “too voluminous and impossible to grasp in such a short time.” Instead of giving two votes on one ballot paper, as in the federal election, students at the University of Cologne are given seven pieces of paper. The largest of them is A2 format.
Why choose Luke? “Because it’s about my money”
The election workers at the polls also hear this. “Many people are surprised at the size of the leaves,” says one of them. “But other than that, they have a pretty clear plan about the election. They know who they are voting for before they get to the polls.”
Like Lukas Sieper, who just cast his vote. Of course he voted, he says. “Because it’s about my money. And because democracy is important. “That’s actually common sense, right?” says Lukas, who is studying law in his first semester.
He found out about the election through his student council. But Lukas also thinks that voting is too confusing. “There are around 40,000 names on the list. This is totally insane.”
66 percent voter turnout – because a VW Beetle was raffled off
Instead of using informative words, others try to convince people with tasty deeds: “The Original – List of Student Councils” distributes waffles and cocoa to all voters. A few meters away there is mulled wine for every vote, apparently with success. “You would be surprised if you knew how many people went to the ballot box just around the corner just because of that,” says a booth attendant.
The Cologne university election in 1966 clearly demonstrated that students can be convinced by such gifts. At that time, a car dealership raffled off a ruby red VW Beetle 1300 among all voters. The result was a phenomenal voter turnout of 66 percent that has never been achieved again.
Instead of a car, political university groups today have to score points with content. Abolition of the Latinum requirement, more affordable housing, and the legal right to a master's degree are some of the topics. But unisex toilets are also required – or attempted to be prevented. In addition, mayonnaise in the cafeteria should no longer cost extra, believes the Campus Union – Junge Union.
“Somehow these are issues that affect us.”
When asked about these topics and the university elections in general, the students Nina and Kathy initially react with surprise. “Oh, I was wondering what was going on here,” says Nina, who is studying English and religion to become a teacher in the second semester and is sitting in the philosophy department with her fellow student. “I have no idea,” she admits, and Kathy agrees with a nod. “I didn’t know this existed,” she says of the university elections.
She also doesn't know what the StuPa is responsible for or how the committee works. “I could probably piece together what the AStA does,” she says hesitantly. Suddenly the two of them read the election posters that are hanging all around them. “Yes, in a way these are topics that affect us,” says Nina, who is studying special education in the second semester. Even if politics “is not the number one topic,” as she says, she still wants to find out more about the election. “That seems to make a lot of sense.”
Pictures: Fabian Schäfer
At the University of Cologne, almost 50,000 students are called upon to elect their student parliament.
