Political vacuum and real responsibility

2025-05-28 12:57:00, Opinione Ardi Stefa

Anyone today can see that in Albania we have a very large part of the electorate without real political representation.
The new parties, despite the total number of votes they received on May 11, do not have a political representation capable of heralding rapid future changes.

But, what is essentially not being discussed is the fact of why this happened.

The discussion has focused on the old parties, which drowned voters with propaganda by investing in "fear" and "hope", in the owl and the mouse.

Yes, we have a vacuum for the opposition, but this is not covered by saying: "Vote for me, because I am the real opposition and not a crutch for the government.
But, it is precisely the old parties that are each other's crutches."

While the new parties did not have the representation they deserved due to the current electoral law, but also due to the fact that the behavior of the electorate in the last week was very chaotic and determined the outcome of the elections. Convinced that there would be no political change, the gray electorate, which would make the change, preferred to stay home and not go to the ballot boxes.

I do not want to question the interpretations given so far, which are based on important parts of reality, such as the great dissatisfaction and lack of trust towards the two parties that held power in 35 years of transition, or the great split in the opposition, which was the government's most successful and efficient investment, or the disagreement of parts of the opposition, (especially the new parties) to unite.

All of this is not enough to explain the depth of the problem. Because I believe that the real problem lies precisely in the perception they have of politics and that current politics does not correspond to what Albanian society really wants, which perceives politics in two ways, which are related to each other.

One of the perceptions is populism, which echoes the revolt of society and which seems to be heard more, because it shouts more.
This method is effective to some extent, since aggressive rhetoric against the government is liked by a type of electorate, mainly by the militants, whom it mobilizes, but is not embraced by the moderate part of society, which wants stability. In practice, it is not convincing, because, first of all, Albanian society has understood that its voice is heard more when it is not amplified by professional politicians.

The other way is what they usually say: "Vote for me and I will change everything! I even apologize for 7501, 1996-1997, Gërdec, January 11, 184, 336, for political prisoners, etc., etc.!"

Logically, political change goes through a change in political relationships and alliances.

Society is no longer looking for something to vote for, but something to TRUST in a period when dissatisfaction with the government is at its peak.

And this shows that society can hardly be inspired to believe in something similar to what currently governs them.

Does this mean that society should maintain an anti-system, anti-political, and apolitical stance, with the sole aim of changing things?

Absolutely NO!
Society needs politics.

But not populist politics of firebrands, threats, or choosing the "lesser evil!"

There is a need to restore politics as an act, a movement, and an idea that takes the crowd and turns it into a people, with a vision and a future.

As an attempt to explain the phenomena that drive the revolt, and therefore the necessary measures and changes that are necessary to find a way out of the revolt.

As an exercise that helps people understand why they feel what they feel and makes them stakeholders in the great debate about the future of the country.

As the ability to carve a different path for the country.

Such a return to politics would give Albanian society not revolt and anger, which it has in abundance, but self-confidence that anything and everything can change.

Are there people and political forces that could contribute to this return of politics? Of course, but they neither belong to, nor have a place in, nor are they wanted by the old political formations, even though they may adhere to them...
However, historical moments also correspond to historical responsibilities./CNA