- One fifth will follow the election evening on the internet or via social media
- Younger people in particular want to comment on the election via social media
When the polling stations close at 6 p.m. on Sunday and the first forecasts are published, a large proportion of Germans will gather in front of the TV. 84 per cent plan to watch the election results live on television. This is the result of a representative survey of 1,002 people in Germany aged 18 and over, commissioned by the digital association Bitkom. According to the survey, 21 per cent will follow the election results online via news portals and social media. Five per cent want to share their opinion of the election results in social media. Among 18 to 29-year-olds, the share is twice as high at 11 per cent, while in the other age groups it is between three and six per cent. ‘Although a large part of the election campaign is already conducted online, election night remains a TV event. For many people, election night coverage with live broadcasts, projections and the traditional ‘elephant round’ is part of election night,’ says Sophie Vogt-Hohenlinde, a political expert at Bitkom.
Most people also discuss the election results with others. 78 per cent discuss them with family and friends, with men (82 per cent) doing so slightly more often than women (74 per cent). 6 per cent spend the election evening at an election party or attend a political event. And one in ten (11 per cent) let the election evening pass them by completely and did not want to find out about the results until the next day.
Note on methodology: The information is based on a survey conducted by Bitkom Research on behalf of the digital association Bitkom. 1,002 people in Germany aged 18 and over who were eligible to vote were interviewed by telephone. The survey was conducted between calendar weeks 2 and 4 of 2025. The survey is representative. The question was: ‘We would also like to know how you plan to spend the day and evening of the federal election. Which of the following statements apply or do not apply to you?’
