Question 119 · Federal question
Elections in Germany are free. What does that mean?
German original (as asked in the real test)
Wahlen in Deutschland sind frei. Was bedeutet das?
- A Alle verurteilten Straftäterinnen/Straftäter dürfen nicht wählen.
- B Wenn ich wählen gehen möchte, muss meine Arbeitgeberin/mein Arbeitgeber mir frei geben.
- C Jede Person kann ohne Zwang entscheiden, ob sie wählen möchte und wen sie wählen möchte. ✓ Correct answer
- D Ich kann frei entscheiden, wo ich wählen gehen möchte.
Translation
Elections in Germany are free. What does that mean?
- A All convicted criminals are not allowed to vote.
- B If I want to go vote, my employer must give me time off.
- C Every person can decide without coercion whether they want to vote and whom they want to vote for. ✓ Correct answer
- D I can freely decide where I want to go to vote.
Explanation
The principle that elections are free means voters make their own choice without pressure or coercion—both about whether to participate and whom to support. It is one of Germany’s core electoral principles alongside general, equal, secret, and direct elections.
Tips
- Recall the five core principles: general, free, equal, secret, direct.
- For “free,” look for wording about absence of pressure or compulsion on the voter’s decision.
- Eliminate options about employment obligations or polling locations; those are logistical issues, not constitutional principles.
- Be wary of blanket exclusions of groups from voting; Germany’s elections are generally inclusive, with only narrow legal exceptions.
- Use keyword matching: “free” relates to freedom from coercion, not to time off work or choosing any random polling station.
Practice in the app
