FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
In this campaign, we are not talking about programs, but about pans. This metaphor, introduced into the vocabulary of Albanian politics for years, this time aims to show the division of areas between candidates.
It seems as if the open list competition achieves the purpose of elections, that of having competition, but in reality this competition is unequal. The competition is not between political opponents, but between candidates of the same political entity.
"The system has forced us to have open competition in Albania among candidates on the open list, among candidates of the same party. It means that if you are a socialist today, if you are a democrat, you do not waste time and do not have the luxury of going and convincing an undecided citizen or a citizen who votes for another party, to turn them in favor of your party. You only go to the members of your party and tell them: 'Vote for me as an individual within the party'. If they get the vote as individuals within the party, they are successful, because they secure the mandate," said Afrim Krasniqi, from the Institute of Political Studies.
A politician with executive power, or a candidate with economic potential, is operating according to old methods in this campaign as well - a quick promise, kept, and translated into votes.
Whereas a new candidate, whether from the SP or the DP, has the ability only to promise to raise all the citizens' problems in the Assembly. This forces even a socialist candidate without power and support to behave like an opposition member.
“Imagine, the prime minister gives every citizen a solution when he says: 'I want a bridge, I want a road, I want a school,' and he answers: 'Yes, it will be built.' And imagine a candidate who does not have these privileges, but is from the same party, who says: 'I will raise this issue in parliament when the budget is discussed.' It means that he practically acts as an opposition member. And on the other hand we have opposition parties that promise to remove a corrupt system, but they do not have a mechanism to prove that the system they will create is better than the structures they are removing, as long as the political leaders are the same,” said Afrim Krasniqi, from the Institute of Political Studies.
This battle is similar to the expression “Every man for himself, God for all.” Each candidate first seeks votes for the party, and then for himself.
In this way, in every circumstance, the party is the winner, as it benefits from the votes of each candidate, regardless of whether he manages to meet the number required to be a deputy in the Albanian Parliament./ InsideStory
Lini një Përgjigje