Democracy and elections
Let's talk about elections, not political parties, but democracy, because democracy does not equate to elections. A democratic system is much more than that, despite the citizens' right to choose the representatives who will manage 'the public sphere', which conditions life so much, essential in a true democracy.
To begin with, we should specify which democracy we are talking about, because it can have different lineages: liberal, popular or representative, participatory, deliberative... Our current democracy, the Western capitalist one, self-styled, not without evident hypocrisy to safeguard human values and rights, would have two lineages: liberal and representative. Really, everything begins and ends with an election. Between one and the other, it is difficult to find traces of citizen influence in political, social, economic, etc. practice, except for popular protest mobilizations and protests against injustices and cuts to rights, not always heard by our representatives. They only really influence when they are massive and constant, as in the case of housing.
To solve our need or problem, there is always the individual option of appearing before the Administration or Justice. And here we do encounter all the obstacles in the world: bureaucracy, inaccessibility, delay, legislation... and we easily fall into helplessness and discouragement. Because the situation regarding housing, the rising cost of basic needs, health, care, education, work, transport, and the environment, among others, is not individual, but general and collective, and it depends on the current social and economic policies.
Only joint actions, the strength of the majority, and collective mobilization can influence the solution to problems in order to achieve a dignified life and well-being. Individual citizen participation is the first step, but it must be unified and solidary in everything that is common. There are so many things we can change! And it is possible if we set our minds to it together.
We are now facing this purely representative democracy where the participation of people is relegated to voting for representatives, but we cannot let it pass. Abstaining may be an option in some cases, but, in practice, it means leaving the management of our lives in the hands of new political representatives. It is a way of distancing oneself from what affects us directly. A participatory democracy also means voting, and at these times when fascism and the far right maliciously use the mechanism of the ballot box to destroy it, we must react.
Social and political polarization through social media, news outlets that are manipulative and riddled with biases, and an opposition policy based on personal attacks, insults, and falsehoods that employs the justice system—often anchored in an antidemocratic past—to disqualify and defame, easily contributes to disenchantment and disengagement from everything.
The disillusionment is understandable when, in some cases, the representatives chosen by the citizens have disappointed due to their government management through a lack of initiative or courage, through submitting to pressures from large economic agents, through becoming comfortable in power or allowing themselves to be dragged along by the inertia of a system that blocks any fundamental change aimed at greater equality and social justice. This is what has sometimes happened to the left.
But democratic conscience cannot falter when so much is at stake. Through this plebiscite, changes can be substantial: authoritarianism and regression in rights and freedoms or improvement in people's lives. Our vote has, on this occasion, crucial importance. That is why it is necessary to be clear about a series of aspects regarding what, for example, a blank vote or a null vote means, which, apart from accidental situations, usually stem from dissatisfaction with the political landscape or with the system in case of not seeing a clear option despite having democratic and participatory awareness.
In this sense, it must be taken into account that blank votes can favor majority parties, given that they are counted votes and minority parties must obtain more votes to reach the 3% threshold and be able to obtain a seat. Null votes, on the other hand, those that have formal defects, are not considered valid and are not counted, they only statistically affect the participation percentage.
The choice in the face of an election can never be blind, the fruit of impulses, biases or habits, but rather the rationalization with ideological and opportunity criteria of a commitment to the necessary changes towards a more just, egalitarian and peaceful society. Let us not be deceived: another world is always possible if we make ourselves heard and remain vigilant.
