It is necessary to participate in Democracy

“The highest political office is that of the private citizen.” Louis D. Brandeis, Supreme Court Justice, Associate Justice (1916 to 1939).

Although I consider the day of reflection to be an anachronism, I will respect it and appeal only to the vote, especially the validly expressed vote, without indicating who I will vote for. My readers already know who I will vote for.

When the representatives of the people cannot reach an agreement, the people must decide. Elections are not dispensable, nor are they ever useful only when they produce different results. That would be all that was needed! As an expression of popular sovereignty, they are always meritorious. Are elections dispensable? Do you even know what democracy is? Have patience!

In a representative democracy, we vote to choose people who will decide the country's fate for us. When these 230 deputies are unable to reach an agreement, the people must decide. Therefore, elections are never dispensable, nor do the costs associated with them matter. Sovereign legitimacy resides in the lowest level of popular representation. It is the people who have the final say.

I have been writing and speaking about the importance of citizen participation in democracy for decades. I do so once again, referring once again to ideas about civic participation, electoral participation, the importance of valid voting and citizen pressure and surveillance.

Civic participation

Participation is inherent to democracy. I will say more. It is a requirement! It has always been so. It was already so in Greece in the 5th century BC, where citizens who did not care about politics were censored or worse. Pericles, in his funeral oration, expressed this sentiment: “We consider the citizen who shows himself to be alien or indifferent to politics as useless to society and the Republic” (Thucydides, Book II, Chapter VI). Undoubtedly, over time, this idea has acquired other contours, but it has never lost its meaning: there is no democracy without participation.

The notion of participation is intrinsic to democracy. All forms of democracy are participatory. Some more than others, depending on the government and electoral systems, but all are participatory. What varies is the degree of autonomy and the level of representation, both of those elected and of voters. Now, closely linked to the notion of political rights, citizenship presupposes the participation of citizens, whether directly or indirectly, in the public and political life of the country, electing or being elected to State bodies.

Electoral participation

The Portuguese seem unaware that voting is the ultimate form of participation. However, as it has a direct impact on the country's governance, it is also the most significant. In the context of politics, as a manifestation of equal opportunities, it is a fundamental form of participation.

In Portugal, voting is not mandatory. And rightly so! Because it presupposes a desire – and not an imposition – of the citizen’s participation in the public life of the State. Therefore, since voting is the expression of a will, it should not become an imposition on the individual will. For all intents and purposes, whether one likes it or not, the citizen may not want to participate in the political system. And he or she should maintain this prerogative, despite the fact that, by doing so, he or she is giving up all of his or her rights (and duties) and allowing third parties to decide his or her future for him or her.

Now, it is abstention that best illustrates the option for non-participation. Those who abstain are not casting a protest vote. They are, possibly, protesting. But they are not voting. So, what is the difference between abstention and a blank or spoiled vote? Those who cast a blank or spoiled vote want to participate, but do not like the options expressed on the ballot paper. Those who abstain do not vote and do not want to participate. What is the cost of non-participation? It is the loss of decision-making in democracy and allowing third parties to decide for us.

The importance of a valid vote

Before proceeding, I must make a few clarifications. What is a valid vote? A valid vote is one that expresses the voter's choice by marking just one cross on the ballot paper. Only this type of vote determines the conversion into mandates and counts towards the allocation of public subsidies.

What is a blank vote? A blank vote is cast when the ballot paper does not bear any type of mark made by the voter, in accordance with paragraph 1 of article 98 of the Electoral Law of the Assembly of the Republic – Law 14/79, of 16 May (this criterion applies to any vote, including European elections). Whether in an election or a referendum, a declaration of will must be made and this is only possible by marking a cross in one of the boxes on the ballot paper.

As such, according to article 98 of the aforementioned Law 14/79, a blank vote – in which no declaration of will is expressed – is not valid for the purposes of determining the number of elected candidates, as it has no influence on the counting of the number of votes and their conversion into mandates. Therefore, even in the event that the number of blank votes is the majority, the election is valid, as there are validly cast votes that count for the purposes of counting the results.

In turn, paragraphs a), b) and c) of paragraph 2 of article 98 of law 14/79 determine what constitutes a null vote. This occurs when more than one mark is made, a mark on a candidate, party or coalition that has withdrawn or when there are erasures, drawings or words on the ballot paper.

When it comes to democracy and their role as citizens, the Portuguese are a kind of cognitive dissonance, as they demand change when they themselves are not willing to change. Unfortunately, the Portuguese people think that the illusions they are sold are not their responsibility, and they are increasingly distancing themselves from political decisions. This has been the case for a long time, and politics has also been confused with partisanship for a long time. As is the rule of complacency that characterizes us, a significant number of us will continue to sit on the sofa and point the finger at whoever appears on television. The Portuguese, or some of them, need two things: first, to blame someone for their problems and, second, to blame the next illusionist (some illusionists lasting longer than others). It is a sequential form of complacency. It is the easiest solution. It is the solution that perpetuates the Portuguese fate of misery, poverty and sadness. It is also the solution that does not help to change anything.

Since maintaining freedom and/or democracy is harder than conquering it, this attitude of “it’s better to cry than to do it” is very dangerous. Not voting or voting blank or void is the last thing one should do. However, since participating is important, it is better to vote blank or void than not to vote at all. Although it does not bring about any change, voting blank or void means that voters want to participate in democracy. In this line of reasoning, it is better to vote by exclusion, that is, to opt for a negative way of voting for the lesser evil, than not to vote at all. The option of not participating in elections or, in other words, the voluntary abandonment of the citizen, whether by abstaining or by voting blank or void, is the worst solution. In addition to signifying indifference to democracy,

Now, if “the representative system is a power of attorney given to a certain number of men by the mass of the people who wish to have their interests defended and do not have time to defend them alone” (Benjamin Constant) and “governing and legislating are matters of reason and judgment, not of inclination or favoritism” (Edmund Burke), it is urgent to end the separation between citizens and their political representatives. It is essential that citizens begin to contact all elected representatives directly to convey to them the changes they desire.

Of course, elected representatives are not obliged to decide as we would, or as we would like them to decide. However, the more citizens distance themselves from politicians, the better it will be for the parties. They will continue to feel free to put party interests ahead of the interests of the people. Representative democracy requires active vigilance by citizens towards their elected representatives.

Citizen pressure and surveillance

I mentioned above that all forms of democracy are participatory, some more than others, depending on the government and electoral systems. One of the topics that I see most often mentioned is changing the electoral system. Under what parameters can this change be easier and depend only on a change to the electoral law?

But no substantial change will happen until the Portuguese start contacting their deputies directly, regardless of which party they are from, to show them their willingness to change the electoral system.

A few years ago, parties would have thought it unthinkable to change the electoral system. Several electoral programmes have mentioned this issue in these elections. They may not be what the Portuguese people want, but they are still an expression of some concessions. This has already happened, and some concessions have been expressed. This started because the issue began to be discussed and defended publicly within some parties. It is not surprising that it has spread to others. Now, imagine what will happen with constant pressure from the public?

Personally, I think that changing the electoral system is not enough. Changing the system of government should also be discussed. But that is a topic for another article.

What is important is to understand that, as Constant said, “the danger of modern freedom is that, absorbed in the enjoyment of private independence and the pursuit of private interests, we too easily renounce our right to participate in political power.”

It is therefore essential to understand that sovereignty is only exercised by the people if they actively participate in democracy. So, participate! And vote validly!

Those who do not want to participate in democracy do not care