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EDITORIAL. Voting, a freedom and a responsibility

While social life is still recovering, we are called to vote tomorrow to choose those who will lead our regions and departments. Last Sunday, two out of three French people abstained. How in a great democracy, as citizens, can we abandon our duty and give up the freedom to vote?

Freedom for which in many countries we suffer and die: Hong Kong, Burma, Russia, Belarus: « I will vote for the first time, wrote the Franco-Belarusian journalist Andrei Vaitovich last Saturday. I often hear, “it is useless” or even “we are in a dictatorship”. I have known the real dictatorship in Belarus where elections are stolen and where disagreement with the authorities leads to prison. “ Hundreds of political prisoners have been locked there for months. The trial of the 2020 presidential candidate has just started: in a cage, hands tied behind his back …

In Russia, Alexeï Navalny survivor of an assassination attempt is imprisoned in conditions threatening his life: he opposed the regime and denounces its corruption. In Hong Kong, under pressure from China, the leaders of the pro-democracy movement are in prison. The Apple Daily newspaper had to go out of business: its accounts were blocked; its premises, searched; part of its editorial staff is imprisoned like its boss Jimmy Lai, 73, who goes from conviction to conviction! Lawless states everywhere are persecuting those who aspire to freedom!

Bring democracy to life

But they are raising their heads. They risk their lives as we fall asleep, lulled by the illusion that democracy and freedom are as natural as the air we breathe and that we could never be deprived of it. However, it is the fruit of centuries of effort and education to take care of the Common Good.

Of course, citizens are discouraged by the stacking of strata from the commune to the region. They no longer have a clear idea of ​​who does what or where decisions are made. This imbroglio complicates the task of political parties which are accused of not having been able to take an interest in these elections (1). But shouldn’t everyone sweep in front of their door? Administration, politicians, media and citizens!

Tomorrow the ball will be in the citizens’ court. We are fortunate to be able to choose. Are we going to give up the freedom to vote on the pretext that democracy is not perfect? Winston Churchill said: “It has been said to be the worst form of government except for all those that have been tried over time. “ It is precisely because democracy is constantly being improved that it always calls on citizens to come together to build responses to the challenges of the present time.

And we can do it as close as possible to our daily life, in our regions, where the unity of the country is being built day after day. Far from any sectarianism and any ideology, far from propaganda of all kinds and so-called miracle recipes, we have the responsibility to choose those who will know how to listen to improve the lives of people after the pandemic and develop regions. dynamic. It will require prudence and competence, openness and daring, effort and cooperation.

To vote is to bring democracy to life. It is to make it shine far beyond our borders as a great hope for the oppressed peoples who aspire to freedom.

(1) Le Figaro 25-6-21

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