A broken promise prompts avoidance

We can watch the amazing Danish series on Netflix right now. This is Borgen, a woman in power. This allows us to delve into the mysteries of proportional democracy, where the 179 members of the Danish Parliament faithfully represent the ideological choices of the population. We see party leaders representing their constituencies and trying to earn points at the level of voters.

I took François Legault at his word when he promised and signed a solemn declaration in favor of a voting system approaching Denmark. Such a solid and practical person can succeed where others have failed. I was very disappointed when the media announced with great fanfare that this election promise had been abandoned last December. This brings me to the gist of my remarks: For this particular election, as an ordinary citizen interested in public affairs, I advocate abstinence.

Citizen cynicism often comes with the promises of politicians. I am no exception to this rule: both the federal Liberals and the CAQ have broken the core promise of their program to reform the voting system. This promise gives meaning to the future of our democracy.

This broken promise condemns us to witness this pathetic circus of partially ineffective deputation at the legislative level, where each deputy plays his party’s game to win electoral points and can change any occasion depending on history and popular sentiments. . Let them rule by the poll as long as the mandate lasts!

It condemns us to witness in our House of Representatives the same deafening divisions between ideological factions that we cannot hold together, as in our sad society where citizens are divided, each taking refuge in his ideological chapel. Our National Assembly would have set an excellent example if this reform had not been torpedoed.

This broken promise condemns my vote, different from that of the majority of the citizens of my constituency, to be entered in the column of the lowest values ​​of political power. This system ensures that a party that can attract 25% of the population can win 100% of power if its opposition is fragmented and scattered across constituencies.

But why was this reform of the voting system abandoned? The reason for this is simple, I am told: thanks to the first-past-the-post system we will never be able to convince individually elected deputies to come to an agreement to reform the system to their advantage. . This answer is painful because we have every right to expect our elected representatives to be able to decide between their special interest and the general interest. What is the point of working for the collective interest if our political representatives cannot even be freed from their personal interest in being in power?

Because finally yes, after the betrayal of this question by all the governments, I confirm with the revolutionaries of May 68, this election is a “fool trap” for many of my fellow citizens. Get in touch with record absenteeism!

Ian de Valicourt, Citizen of Gouin