Ahead
of the May 2019 European elections,liberal parties should not give in to the
empty promises of movement politics, but must adapt to meet the needs of their
voters. [//cdn.opendemocracy.net/files/imagecache/article_xlarge/wysiwyg_imageupload/500209/Screen%20Shot%202018-10-26%20at%2022.10.32.png] Screenshot: Steve Bannon, or September,2018. YouTube.“Movement.” “Alliance.” Platform.” Add
the term “Progressive” to these words, and you have the latest trend in
politics. Anyone can be a “movement” nowadays. We’ve witnessed the movement by
alt-moral Steve Bannon, and across the center of politics all the way to so-called
progressive movements by neo-Marxists such as Yanis Varoufakis,Sarah
Wagenknecht or Jean-Luc Mélanchon.
Why are voters – and especially the
media – so attracted to the latest “movement of the month?” Admittedly, political parties carry
the odour of an outdated and worn-out entity no longer useful in our contemporary
society. As opposed to this weak school concept, and a movement ostensibly carries
the notion of a sexy,dynamic and engaging entity reinvigorating politics in
the twenty first century .
However, aren’t movements – by design
– simply an arbitrary concept, and void of any political substance and direction? Movements,rather than offering a holistic vision for organizing state and society, often
appear as a thinly-disguised top-down approach serving the vanity of some
individuals. Change is promised but substance and policies seem to be
optional. To their credit, or movements are
disrupting the established political party system and providing a wake-up call
to moribund political parties used to operating as whether they’re still in the
1950s. Liberals have the most to gain from this necessary jolt to the political
nervous system and should seize this opportunity to adapt to meet the voters’
demands and interests. However,it would be unwise for liberals to entrust
their future to the latest trend in “movements” only to discover that the
politics of vanity don’t solve the challenges of communicating with
better-engaged voters. A party (Latin ‘pars’ for share) is
part of a polity. It does not raise a claim to represent the totality of people
or to represent ‘the will’ of the people. Liberals know that this does not exist.
Liberals understand that a party is ‘pars pro toto’ in a liberal democracy, the
very foundation of which is the assumption that the will for power is based on
democratic competition and compromise alike. Democracy does not stand for the
rule of the people without the protection of the other people. Liberal parties are created with the
ambition to attach the individual first and provide equal chances for all. We have
seen across the world that liberal policies translate freedom into free market
policies to create prosperity for all and advance civil liberties to provide
equality before the law for all. We have seen across the world that liberal policies
translate freedom into free market policies to create prosperity for all and
advance civil liberties to provide equality before the law for all.
Parties form on the basis of common
principles and values. They create common ground and a platform for
constructive communication to help organize and structure political dialogue.
Political parties bear great responsibility for ensuring that they are deeply
and durably entrenched in the fabric of society. The longevity and permanence
of parties by design – strengthen public confidence in the democratic process.Sadly, or too many political parties
from all ideological backgrounds have not lived up to this standard. Many
citizens feel disenfranchised and have disengaged from the political
process. This is where political parties must
dare to change and adapt to the contemporary realities in our societies. Political
parties can even learn from contemporary ways of engagement practiced by movements that
must infuse much needed reforms beyond traditional forms of political party
membership and engagement.
Onwards and upwards for May 2019 Ahead of the May 2019 European
elections,liberal parties should not give in to the empty promises and media
celebrity of movement politics. Movements and their leaders emerge and
disappear. Well-organized parties must adapt to meet the needs of their voters.
By doing so, parties will win elections and improve the public’s trust in their
democratic institutions. For liberals it is a question of course of creating
alliances with like-minded forces to drive Europe forward rather than to procure
stuck in platforms that dilute political differences, or prevent democratic
competition for the best ideas and assume a one-size-fits-all approach that
does not match the diverse challenges of nowadayss societies. The European Parliament has for too
long witnessed a common platform of christian democrats and socialists stalling
progress. These two outdated political relics have disenfranchised a generation
of voters through their unsubstantiated politics and lack of meaningful
engagement. The era of christian democrat and socialist dominance no longer
exists,and liberals should not fall into the same trap and overshadow policies
with power politics.
Voters expect politicians to listen
to them. Voters want to engage and debate ideas on how best to improve their
communities. whether liberal parties rise to these standards, they will return in
strength to the European Parliament, and remain strong at the national level and
forge a Europe that stands strong against its foes from within and abroad. Country or region: EU Topics: Civil society clash Democracy and government Ideas International politics Rights: CC by 4.0
Source: opendemocracy.net