Today, three countries held elections : one presidential in Brazil and two for parliaments in Tunisia and Ukraine. As we watch these important polls take place, playing what if came to my mind as a philosophical exercise, one particularly destined to the young adults in the family that will soon have that right. What if you were offered a vote, only one to cast today wherever you wish?
Brazil is the world’s 7th economy, 5th by size & population ( 200M but still one of the least dense on the planet ) and first in football. The country is modern in parts and untouched by civilization in others. The cities are legendary but so are the favelas ( slums ) and the contrast is striking. Is it the BRICS emerging powers group member that you recognize with a space program and all or the land where the Amazonian forest is being torn down so much and so fast that it endangers us all? Brazil is a land of contrast and before you answer, reflect on luck that may have you born on the wrong ( streets kids and jungle natives ) of the equation.
Dilma Roussef, who as incumbent did a decent job of cost-cutting rational measures could not calm the passions and the riots about poverty that erupted in the last year made the news as much as the World Cup. Her charisma coupled with being left-wing in a poor land should still suffice over the pro-business candidate Aécio Neves.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/21/rebel-patrician-rousseff-neves-face-off-brazil-presidential-showdown
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/26/dilma-rousseff-favourite-brazil-presidential-election-aecio-neves
So what will change?
Tunisia : One of the smallest countries around the Mediterranean, dwarfed by Libyan and ( more so ) Algerian neighbours, the Ancient Carthage should be paradise on Earth mostly. Sadly, like the other ex-colonies of the South coast of the Mare Nostrum * post 1960’s to the exception of Morocco with its stronger prior background, the Tunis Bey was replaced by ordinary strongmen that kept the profits and riches for themselves and their friends. All through 3 decades, Habib the nationalist turned into Bourguiba the fat cat, oblivious to the voices of complaint outside. That allowed Zine Ben Ali to take over which did help free the economy a little but the people not so much. He almost made it to his quarter of a century of power before being ousted in 2011 in what was the first spark of the Arab Spring. Back then in the news, the aim was given as liberty and modernity but all through both semi-despots, the religious feeling had risen too and the Ehnada party won with a brisk agenda. The people kept complaining, the temporary government listened, a darn strong point in their favor and now we may think the duel is secular vs faith but in truth, a better life is paramount. The kind that this touristic hotspot used to offer to visitors, maybe?
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2014/1025/Tunisia-elections-at-source-of-Arab-Spring-a-focus-on-jobs-not-jihad
And yet, even if it’s not as bad as Libya, the tensions are evident.
http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/tunisia-478626529
Would you take the risk?
Ukraine is also having an election for what it’s worth. I’ll give the link to after vote polls but without surprise, we can call this one for the gang in place because there is little alternative. Since 2004, the place was rocked with contested elections and this one is incomplete on top of it. The Orange revolution turned the tide only for the next elections to bring things back to the old system. That in turn under Yanukovych brought the EuroMaidan protests which forced him to flee, opened the door to a break from Russian influence and forced Vladimir Putin to nab Crimea to retain the Black Sea Fleet port in Sevastopol. Except that in order to insure that the country does not become an opponent in the mid term, Vlad wnats it feeble and is backing autonomist forces in the East. The conflict is over 6 months old by now, has likely cost 3 thousand men on each side and 3 and a half thousand civilian victims and soon a refugee count soon to reach half a million. The sanctions imposed on Russia are hurting everyone even those that imposed them and Ukraine solving nothing.
About 15% of Ukrainians live in the Donbass region and will not vote, regardless of their opinions since traveling out to the poll booth is a tad risky. Thus the result is clear, things will go on tomorrow as they went yesterday. Poroshenko should still be there and still unable to take action save negotiate futilely with the little tzar in Moscow.
Russian point of view :
http://rt.com/news/199264-ukraine-parliamentary-elections-rada/
Western point of view :
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/26/us-ukraine-crisis-election-idUSKCN0IF00R20141026
Local point of view :
http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/ukraine-elects-new-parliament-live-updates-369417.html
http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/after-the-polls-close-ukrainians-react-live-updates-369507.html
What hope would voting bring you?
So the discussion can begin, stay around the table & forget the TV. What is a voting right worth, here versus there. Why is even democratic expression sometimes so powerless? What could be done to make the system better?
See you tomorrow for the results, Tay.
* Still the Mediterranean sea, kids, but by the name the Romans called it )
Definitive Lapse of Reason 