A new app aiming to help European citizens engage with the upcoming European Parliament elections is now live.

The EU&I app was officially launched at the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin this week, with a live demonstration and a panel discussion on pressing issues faced by the EU. 

The app aims to help EU citizens navigate the upcoming European Parliament elections taking place in June. It 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 7th-9th of June. 

Commenting on the launch, Team Ireland lead and Associate Professor at UCD School of Politics and International Relations, 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.