24 octobre 2006
The accountability of elected representatives
Here again, Segolene Royale touches upon a real issue. How can citizen feel part of a democratic system if their only participation is to vote once every 5 years?
The question is even more accute in system that lean towards a bi-party system where you can easily argue that even when you actually get to have a voice - every 5 years- you don't really have a choice.
It's interesting to read the reactions on lemonde.Fr
Basically you have 2 groups:
- The first one is composed of supposingly educated people and from one of the 2 dominant parties. They argue that this proposition is "demogagic" or " populist". They use exemples of former models in history to support their criticisms and argue that popular juries are not democratic. They don't even consider that this proposal is part of a wide attempt to put forward elements of participation in our political system. As far as I am aware the question of participative democracy is indeed debated in most of the main social sciences universities in the world, not only in some obscure tyranies or dictatorship (as mentioned in some of the comments).
- The second group is formed of people who write using a simpler vocabulary and from supporters of small parties. They welcome this proposal. Sure they want their elected representatives to be held accountable on a regular basis.
If I remember well, Bayrou had already raised this question and proposed that representatives would have to report annualy on their campaign objectives.
Is it "populist" to answer a real need of the french population, which is: have a say in the democratic debate, be able to control their elected representatives, just like your normal citizen is himself controled when he receives social benefit or when he pays taxes for exemple.
I am not sure citizen jury is the way to go, but democratic participation is. French people, from the left or the right know that. Simple people feel it. They are the ones Sego is going for, and she's getting them.
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