Bad choices by people who don't vote

Lying on my living room’s coffee table are a dozen printed smiling faces trying to silently persuade me to mark the magic number one next to their name in the next 6 June election. Everyday, a new smiling face in the letterbox enlarges my collection of brochures of potential members of the European parliament, each with his own idea how best to contribute for the benefit of the Maltese. As a convinced voter, there is no doubt that on 6 June, I will be queuing in order to exercise my right to choose the best candidates to represent us. Unfortunately, not everyone else will.

Youths have been declaring themselves disappointed with politics on a daily basis, and it is no surprise that on a European level, it is estimated that less than a quarter of eligible voters between 18 and 22 will actually exercise their vote in their respective countries.

While young people have been found to be the ones who have most trust in an integrated European Union, getting them to vote is another story. Several have risen to the challenge, with dozens of emerging vote-campaigns aiming at defeating the traditional torpidity of indifference among young voters. AEGEE-Europe, probably the EU’s largest youth platform, has initiated, through Y Vote 2009 – European Youth Choice, a campaign calling youths to take stands and make an informed choice in the upcoming EP elections.

Locally, KNŻ has put forward a video clip featuring most of the candidates encouraging youths to vote. Insite shot features with candidates from all parties with the aim of increasing student turnout. Candidates were asked to pick an item from a tray, relate it to their campaign and give their take on why students should vote in the upcoming EP elections.

Unfortunately, in Malta, these elections come at a time when University students are busy preparing for their exams. There exists a general level of disinterest that can be witnessed when taking a walk on campus, which some fifteen months ago was surrounded by an aura of political ambiance due to the national elections. This time, it is as if 6 June will be just another day of studying. Few care about the Lisbon Treaty, and even fewer students can expand the acronym EHEA without the help of Wikipedia.

While in the last national election one could see students recite word-by-word the party manifestos, this time around, some cannot even name half the candidates and would rather go and parrot-study in an overheated library than listen to a prospective MEP talking about his proposals. I cannot but draw attention to the candidates’ puzzled faces at only a dozen students (at most) listening to them outside the University Students’ House. Apathy at its best.

Some, on the other hand, have had enough. Enough of political spots with overdramatic music from the Batman movies. Enough of the smirking and broken promises and enough of awkwardly angled photos of party leaders from the 1980s being dragged onto 2009 billboards.

Voting is a public and a moral obligation disguised as a civil right. No vote is no protest vote. Abstaining would mean forfeiting your right and duty to have a say, letting others choose for you. Whether you vote or not, the candidates will be elected, so you might as well contribute.

As George Jean Nathan puts it, ‘bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.’ Therefore, from the issues being raised in this campaign, find the ones which interest you most and which are worth your vote, whether related to education, homosexual rights, illegal immigrants, the environment, or button pressing skills. Listen to the parties and to the candidates, and form an objective opinion.

Then, either you vote, or let Rome burn and go play the fiddle. It’s your take.