Kandidaatformateur

Kandidaatformateur is a term encountered in some political education and consultancy contexts to describe a professional who designs and delivers training programs for political candidates. The word appears to be a neologism formed from kandidaat or candidat (candidate) and formateur (trainer or educator), and it is not widely standardized. In practice, similar functions are labeled campaign trainer or political consultant, but kandidaatformateur may be used to emphasize a formal, curriculum-based approach to candidate preparation.

The typical responsibilities of a kandidaatformateur include assessing a candidate’s communication skills, policy articulation, and media presence; developing a structured training plan; conducting workshops, role-playing, and media simulations; coaching on public speaking, debate performance, and quick policy summaries; advising on campaign messaging, issue framing, and ethical guidelines; and coordinating with campaign staff to align training with outreach and fundraising efforts. Training programs may combine instructional lectures, experiential exercises, video feedback, and performance analytics to measure progress and readiness for events such as interviews, debates, and public appearances.

Contextual notes: the term is more likely to appear within multilingual or regional political contexts, such as coalition or party academies, and it may overlap with roles such as campaign trainer or political consultant. Its use varies by country and organization, and some observers view it as a specialized form of candidate coaching rather than a distinct profession.