Kandidieren

Kandidieren is a German verb meaning to offer oneself as a candidate in elections or to seek a position within an organization. It is used when a person intends to stand for office, for example in political elections, but also for posts in associations or companies. The related noun forms include die Kandidatur and der/die Kandidat/in.

Kandidieren is usually used with an office or body, as in “für das Amt kandidieren” or “bei der nächsten Wahl kandidieren.” The verb is conjugated regularly: ich kandidiere, du kandidierst, er kandidiert, wir kandidieren, ihr kandidiert, sie kandidieren; the past tense is hat kandidiert. One can also say “als Kandidat kandidieren.” In many systems candidacies are organized by parties or as independents, sometimes requiring nomination, endorsement, or registration with election authorities.

Beyond politics, candidacy concepts appear in non-political contexts, such as corporate boards or student elections. The term is common in political discourse and media.

Etymology: kandidieren derives from the noun Kandidat, from Latin candidatus, via French candidat. The Latin root cand- relates to whiteness; historically a Roman candidate wore a white garment during public campaigns, a symbolic origin later carried into the German term.

Kandidat and Kandidatur are the closely related nouns. See also Wahl, Wahlkampf, Aufstellung, Direktkandidat, Listenkandidat.