It remains only six months until the early parliamentary elections. Within this time, all political parties must realize that “bragging” political discourses will not disturb the sensitivity of the electorate they seek. The logic of demonization can mobilize party militants, but not tired citizens, who seek concrete political offers that respond to their expectations.
Author: Bardhyl Zaimi
Politics is increasingly becoming a daily ‘graffiti’ only to show its presence in the media world, in particular to show its presence to the party ‘militants’. Political platforms already seem outdated, especially at a time when new media receptors have no time to read more than a bombastic headline. There is already a flaw in the political being, which instead of electoral offers, instead of identifying and articulating the expectations of the citizens, offers the spectacle of blunt statements that holds in permanent “trans” the political militancy, that part of the electorate that demands strong “narratives” in line with ideological determination. Despite all this being part of political plurality, of democratic life it seems that populist schemes have triumphed over rational political visions, which recognize analysis, articulation, and a minimal idealism consistent with the very notion and understanding of politics as a space where it finds cultivation and the continuous development of the human being. The word “people” is increasingly becoming the subject of political discourse, but increasingly used in an abstract connotation, as an undefined totality, which can produce momentary emotion but outside any reality of social configurations, outside strata and groups of interest emerging as a modern political entities.
It seems that there is already a fatal disconnect between the political elites living in their ideological realities and the citizens who are day by day showing disbelief in being part of this political “spectacle” that comes as a “song” already heard for years. Rhetoric and demagogy have never been lacking in the political space, which has unfortunately, since the beginnings of democracy increasingly become a primary understanding of politics.
In addition, the political performances that recognize only rhetoric and demagogy are not only present in the political space here, but are also a phenomenon that is increasingly manifesting itself even on a global level. However, these phenomena that distort politics in its original sense as discussed and projected from ancient times as a human action that performs policing in its most ideal forms, come with a different face in our time and space. In her study, “Political Thought: A Guide to the Classics,” author Laurie Johnson says that “we already know that in Socrates’ viewpoint, most Athens politicians were demagogues and rhetoricians who used eloquence and the strength of their personality to tempt voters to support plans that would make them stronger and richer. Socrates knew that most, if not all, of the present Governments relied on force or deception, to borrow a phrase from another philosopher, Machiavelli. “
The same empty rhetoric has been repeated on the Macedonian political scene, while many problems related to citizens’ expectations have not been articulated as a political vision. During these transition years, this has led to a lack of trust in the relationship voter-political party. According to many presented data by non-governmental organizations, a large number of eligible citizens with the right to vote no longer participate in the electoral process. It is a disappointment that comes as a consequence of the detachment of politics from the real problems of the people. Precisely, this disappointment that has, over time, created a militant and clientelist voter who remains predictable in the calculations of political parties.
Now when the time of the election date is set, it seems that the political parties have “turned on” the engines to lure the alleged electorate. The leaders’ first appearances look disappointing. These representations remain typical of the “boastful” rhetoric of the past. The only discourse we can hear in this election campaign prologue is “we will win”, “our victory is certain”, “we are the best”. Although it is too early to speak of political visions, the first signs of this pre-election period exhibit the same logic of operation, the same populist battles, which are nowhere near the bitter reality of the citizens, who, day by day, hopelessly surrender to frustration.
Democracy is the square of political plurality, of debate, of political visions structured on electoral political platforms. These platforms structure and shape an electoral political sensitivity that comes from the real problems faced by citizens. Politics is not made in the hemispheres of personal ego, but in the square of expectations for a better, more humane and dignified life in all the depth and breadth of existence. Modern political concepts have man at the epicenter. They arise not in the void of personal rhetoric, but in the square of common interests, in the hemispheres where the human being appears as a political and cultural being. Without these dimensions, politics becomes a utilitarian machinery of holding or coming to power.
Politics remains unavoidable by demos in terms of political entity and institutional organization. To maintain this initial link between politics and demos, the political arena must recognize an ideal of policymaking at the epicenter has the human well-being. On the contrary, it runs the risk of degenerating into the concepts already described as Machiavellian, which recognize authority only as power. Precisely, the first manifestations of the early pre-election campaign are consisted of this banal concept of politics.
Numerous political degenerations over the past period have already created a political vacuum in the electorate-party relationship. This vacuum is translated as mistrust, as an abstention from democratic participation. This abstention has already taken on a different form that has stimulated a permanent escape. The escape of young people is a phenomenon that results from these policies and the inability to identify, articulate and project a hope for citizens in the form of well-thought-out political offerings.
As usual, in the absence of concrete political offerings, the phenomenon of demonization is increasingly emerging as a political battle for militant mindsets, thus excluding political inclusivity, which implies extension to all different social categories. There are no signs of platforms, political offerings, and this stimulates demonizing and extreme rhetoric with exterminatory claims. In such situations, the debate turns into an arena of insults by party militants, demonizations and frustrations that have nothing to do with political culture.
It remains only six months until the early parliamentary elections. Within this time, all political parties must realize that “bragging” political discourses will not disturb the sensitivity of the electorate they seek. The logic of demonization can mobilize party militants, but not tired citizens, who seek concrete political offers that respond to their expectations. While the political “noise” of the previous logic may seem attractive, it will only satisfy partygoers and will have little impact on citizen participation in the electoral process.
People are looking for concrete platforms to address their many enduring problems, from dilapidated social status to a depressing cultural context that stimulates an escape from current political practices. In essence, politics within itself must cultivate an emancipatory dimension. It must cultivate a continuous dialogue over all manifestations of human existence, over all projections that allow a dignified life escape within a given political and cultural habit.