The election campaign prologue has sparked a heated debate over the idea launched by DUI leader Ali Ahmeti for what he called the “first Albanian prime minister”. The political space exists and makes sense from the political ideas being debated. No political idea can be demonized. This idea is also legitimate and democratic. Of course, in the pre-election context, she will be subject to debate and in the meantime will produce arguments for and against. The opposition has the right to challenge it with arguments, just as the DUI has the right to defend it as a pre-election cause. After all, the whole essence of a pre-election campaign is built on the political-ideological antagonisms that target the electorate.
Author: Bardhyl Zaimi
This is not the only idea in the Albanian political bloc. Also as a political idea is the change of the 20 percent formulation for the Albanians in the constitution promoted by the opposition AA, the two-chamber parliament, and the share in the budget promoted by the DPA. Earlier, we had the idea of redefining [promoted by the Movement Besa.
Despite the reconciliations and disagreements, all of these represent political ideas promoted as political visions and affirmed in the intended electorate.
Democracy is a square of ideas, debate and political actors targeting the electorate to target power in a future government. It is the square of democracy that political entities display their protagonist. We may disagree with an idea, but that does not mean that it does not have the full legitimacy to be promoted, but at the same time to be opposed by all those who think differently.
Pluralism means competitive ideas, debate, opposition, and above all political argumentation to defend or counter a political idea.
Democracy is not an empty space; on the contrary, it is a permanent political dynamic of ideas and visions, antagonisms, legitimations and electoral delegitimizations.
Of course, every political idea requires a political and democratic concept to guide the submitted political substance. A political idea cannot be out of context and out of a given socio-political reality, because as such it risks being emptied. A political idea must conceptually articulate the cries of reality, that is, the expectations of the electorate. In case a political idea is not structured and the operation is politically challenged, it turns into rhetoric without any benefit for the citizens.
Of course, this is only the prelude to the campaign, and in the meantime, political parties are likely to come up with their own programs through which to legitimize political ideas.
The time of the pandemic does not provide any comprehensive campaign, while it remains unclear when the election will take place. The ruling SDSM and the opposition VMRO-DPMNE, meanwhile, are fighting to set a date for the election. A rushing SDSM and a hesitant VMRO are seeking guarantees for a legitimate electoral process, which means protocols defined for Covid 19 and monitoring by the OSCE and ODIHR.
Most likely, the whole campaign will be dominated by the problem of pandemic management. Moreover, all political ideas risk being overshadowed by the consequences of pandemics. One thing is likely to be part of the heated debate, the idea of Albanian Prime Minister Ali Ahmeti’s DUI-launched PMI. This debate will take place in two political hemispheres. In that within the Albanian political bloc and in relation to the Macedonian political parties.
Of course, the idea alone is not enough, if it is not followed by a political plan that implies the real expectations of the electorate.
In addition, the electorate’s expectations are high, especially at a time of economic collapse due to pandemics. Unemployment is a record high, while the economic outlook is nowhere to be seen. Political ideas without substantive structures can only remain pre-election slogans. In addition, it is not that it did not happen in North Macedonia.
We shall see whether we will enter into a qualitative democratic debate to produce new governance practices or we will continue with the old rhetoric of rhetoric that has always produced disappointment among citizens.