Democracy exists not only because it is enshrined in our highest law, in laws and regulations. It truly exists only when it is accepted by the community of citizens, when it lives in their hearts. And for democracy to be effective, it is imperative that, at every moment in history, citizens see a democratic political system as the best way to address the challenges we face in terms of collective development. And that, as temporarily dissatisfied as they may be with the current political actors, they agree that this is still the best way to discuss and find answers to the major problems facing society. That is why the participation of citizens in electoral acts is so important.
In some elections, such as those for the European Parliament, it is clear that many voters (wrongly) do not consider these elections very important to their lives. And in the elections, which seem to have been decided initially, as in the case of the elections for a second presidential term, the low turnout is also understandable.
In the legislative elections, the number of abstaining voters grew at an alarming rate, reaching over 50% in the last elections. Although, interestingly, voter turnout in absolute numbers has declined by only 10% since 1983.
But when talking with people, especially young people, you can see that there is growing disbelief in the system, in the ability of elected representatives to change what goes wrong in the country – from health care to education, from justice to social security. , from stagnant growth to wages in third world countries, from bureaucracy to corruption. This frustration is increasingly shared by the less youthful, gradually dwindling in the hope of building a more prosperous, more solidary society, with more equal opportunity, with better governance of public affairs that rewards merit and punishes shortcomings. This disillusionment is contributing to a gradual but clear erosion of confidence in the democratic regime. Therefore, given the impotence to improve the political representation and functioning of the regime, more and more citizens distance themselves from political discussion.
In this entertainment-dominated society, we need politicians who avoid the temptation to tweet about political frivolity or minor issues that are part of the head of the day or focus on the very short term. We need to focus on the medium to long term, on what is important to improve and reform our society. So that there is enough sublimity and seriousness in politics, so that there are those who speak – and there are those who listen – about the main problems that concern society.
We also need mass media resist becoming a simulacrum of the immediacy of social media.
It is against this historical background of political alienation that the election campaign is being built, focused on 25-minute debates (!), In which no topical issue can be seriously discussed. Rarely will you see acts of stupidity of this caliber in timing historical disaster.
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