Voters in the upcoming European elections can now learn about local candidates and their stances on various positions thanks to a new piece of technology.
That is because a new app aiming to help European citizens engage with the upcoming European Parliament elections went live on May 9th to coincide with Europe Day.
The EU&I app aims to help EU citizens navigate the upcoming European Parliament elections, taking place in June.
The app provides a comprehensive platform to help voters explore and understand the positions of both Irish political parties and independent candidates competing in the European elections.
When they visit the EU&I web app, users are prompted to indicate their political preferences through a questionnaire, which generates personalised insights about which political parties and candidates align best with the voter’s values and beliefs.
Available in 20 languages with 36 policy statements, the EU&I Voter app offers users an extensive guide on a range of topics central to European politics, including economic policies, environmental initiatives, and social justice issues.
It also allows users to explore party/candidate views on Ireland’s position in Europe and beyond.
The creators of the app are hoping that this new development will encourage Irish citizens to vote in the upcoming elections taking place on the 7th-9th of June.
Commenting on the launch of the app, Team Ireland lead, and Associate Professor at UCD, Dr James Cross said: “We are delighted to officially launch our new app EU&I ahead of the European elections.
“This app provides an excellent educational platform to empower Irish voters, which will, in turn, allow them to make informed decisions about the future of Europe.
“A group of our master’s students from different disciplines here at UCD have been working tirelessly to compile information about the election and its candidates.
“They have made this information accessible to our app users, contributing to a Europe-wide effort to inform voters.
“By harnessing the power of technology, we aim to empower voters to make informed decisions when entering the ballot box this June.”
UCD Master’s Student Aaron Kelly added: “By making this political information readily available for app users, we aim to inform the general public on one simple, accessible platform.
“This helpful tool eliminates political jargon while providing a wealth of information for citizens as well as for politicians themselves.
“It is a free resource that provides a personalised and exhaustive political guide for users, and we hope that it will encourage more people to get out and use their vote in June.”
The official launch of EU&I Voter takes place today at the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin.
A panel discussion featuring Dr. Laura Sudulich from the University of Exeter, Dr. Kevin Cunningham Director of Ireland Thinks and Patrick O’Riordan from Dublin Office of the European Parliament on pressing issues faced by the EU will take place, as well as a live demonstration of the EU&I app and how it works.
EU&I Voter is available online here: https://euandi.eu