Alexis Papachelas
We keep on complaining about those that represent us in national and European assemblies. Then we elect – not always but quite often – people who are unfit to represent us.
In the elections for the European Parliament, for example, there were candidates from several parties with respectable resumes. Alas, we eventually went with the traditional options or chose to back those politicians that for years have appeared on morning shows.
We ignored worthy professionals and have sent to Europe people who have not hidden the fact that they are too bored to represent us. And all this at the most critical of times for the European Union.
I am trying to think what is at fault. Obviously, party ranks offer huge advantages. It is one thing to have hundreds of loyal “soldiers” distributing prepared party ballots and quite another to convince people with solid arguments.
Those of us in the media also share some of the responsibility. Quite often those who shout the loudest get the most airplay as outlets seek to raise their ratings by a few points.
There is also blame to be apportioned to party leaders who choose candidates based on recognizability alone. These same party leaders then later complain that they do not have a competent bench of lawmakers in Parliament. But it is too late.
It is indeed distressing that people of all party affiliations, who are not recognizable, have to wage political battles on an uneven playing field, and fail. I hope they do no give up and continue to pound the streets until they establish links with a sizable mass of the electorate.
As for all of us, I suggest we get serious and stop voting for entertaining characters or those that are promoted by the apparatus of political parties. Let us put our minds to work and choose serious people that will make the crucial decisions for us and our children.
Politics cannot continue to resemble a variety show. Neither should it consist of a process whereby people who should have long ago been put on display at Madame Tussauds are continuously recycled.
