Kabinett

Kabinett is a free political simulation that runs in your browser. You found a fictional party, win the Bundestag election, form a government and then do the real work: getting laws through the German system.

How a game goes

You find your party and write a manifesto. The closer it is to the mood of the country, the more votes it will bring.

The candidate then runs the campaign, selecting the issues on which to focus, making the campaign tour, and debating the television debate. After the election, the coalition is built, and the deal is negotiated.

As the head of government, the prime minister picks which problem to tackle, which approach to take, and pushes the bill through cabinet, Bundestag and, when the states are affected, the Bundesrat. The prime minister sets the federal budget, handles crises and tries to win re-election after four years.

What makes it different

• Legislative process. Every law needs a majority, and your coalition partner remembers what you did.
• Linked problems. Fixing one can make another worse.
• Living opposition. If you lose power, you keep playing and can fight your way back.
• Counter-forces and a threshold for democracy. Courts, media, the states and your own parliamentary group push back when you overreach.
• Four experience levels. From New in the Bundestag to Power politics, so beginners and veterans both find a fair game.

Ways to play

• Main game. A full term with election, coalition and budget.
• Planned scenarios. Short games with a fixed starting point and a clear goal, for example The first 100 days in about 15 minutes.
• Weekly Session Week. Everyone starts from the same position, with a leaderboard.
• Two players. One governs, one leads the opposition and defends the republic. Roles are drawn and swapped in the rematch.

Good to know

• The game is in German.
• All parties and people are fictional.
• Effects are simplified game assumptions, not forecasts.
• Your game is saved automatically, and an account is only needed for scenarios and the leaderboard.