"Time for the mind"

On Sunday's European elections - a poor voter turnout is predicted now. Many think that what I have with the European Parliament on his hat: "The do anyway, what they want, especially in Brussels" (keyword ban incandescent bulbs ). That may be true, in fact, the European Parliament (which actually is not such) to significant democratic deficits, and that will worsen with in almost all Member States have already ratified the Treaty of Lisbon further. More on this sensitive subject in the way you read the next zeitgeist-print edition , as much is revealed here already.

A friend from the former East Germany said the other day and she was referring to the upcoming elections this year, she felt, when they look at the established parties are reminded of the former GDR . Since it was also was this: The offer was immediately switched. What we also chose - it ran to the same thing ...

Moreover, we know the European election candidates barely, not even the CDUCSUSPDFDPGRÜNENLINKSPARTEI of what the news magazine ZAPP turned out in his last mission. I am not surprised really, but finally it was previously off the record always unpopular politician would have been "promoted" to Brussels (we hope at least that this supposedly "disposed careerists" can not seal our fate). Martin Schulz, top candidate of the SPD parliamentary group in the European Parliament sees it quite differently. In the SPIEGEL number 22 dated 05/25/09, he claims that he knew a quarter of Germans, according to surveys. Who believes - rather begs the question of who was there asked where ...

Nevertheless, it is not, whether we choose or what we, I say. Okay, so what to do on Sunday? What opportunities has the right to vote at all and which ones make sense?

Option 1: Select an established party

If you want everything to run in the old rut, this is the right way. System reforms are not thereby be expected, since the world's problems can not be solved with the same mindset, by which they were generated (loosely based on Albert Einstein). Likewise, one must in type 1 does not make expectations regarding the election promises or sue later even if they are not being met (which is almost mathematically predictable). In terms of "election campaign" always brazen swords are unsheathed. Seems to catch the voters now almost everything is allowed: in Italy can be purchased votes, reports the journalist Udo Ulfkotte in KOPP-Verlag. Quite so corrupt, we will hopefully be in this country (yet) ...?

Option 2: A small (er) party choose

Those who come for the European elections even in so few. Also on board are - besides the "usual suspects" of the extreme right / left, the Christian fundamentalists or the special interest groups - this time even parties that are more than just a cursory glance is worth (a first choice I had in an earlier blog entry presented; at the time was however not yet clear who else will be allowed for the European election.) On the ballot are now available, for example, two parties who are involved in a direct democracy ("referendum" and the voters' association "for referendums") then a party, which campaigns focused on the democratization of the EU ("Newropeans"), also "the Violet" who favor including a basic income, and finally active in 18 countries and is due to the supra-national voices bundling for the European elections are particularly relevant " Pirate Party, "especially since the most pressing issues concerning the EU, has on the agenda: Protecting the privacy, preservation of press freedom, government transparency rather than corruption. Because Orwell's "Big Brother" will help us in the costume of the European Union is still far more freedom to bring restrictions (see also my article "From the innocent citizens to potential terrorists ...") . The operator of the website www.buergerrechte-waehlen.de has taken the trouble to shine through the programs of the main parties to that effect. This is particularly transparent, at which point the parties which undermine the very foundations of democracy and therefore we choose the good conscience no longer allowed.

Poster of the protest rally "Freedom not Fear"

Tomorrow, the day before the election, is against this background, in Mainz protest "Freedom not Fear" are aligned, which is supported, moreover, along with about 30 other citizen initiatives, including the Pirate Party. In other cities each had tens of thousands of interested people for the rally. It seems, therefore, a whole movement to act primarily and younger citizens, for which the Pirate Party represents. One should not put off by the rebel or anarchist acting party name or announcement poster.

Who is still uncertain which party represents their interests best, can even pull consult the "Wahl-O-Mat" of the Federal Agency for Civic Education (see link at the end of my article "Save the elections!" ). But beware: When viewing the results can be compared only 8 out of 32 parties (probably should be avoided, that the smaller parties get in the results too much space). My tip: Because his very brave and even different parties, or less completely unknown, click to the confrontation. You will be amazed at what order will be ejected!

Perhaps you're thinking: Select a small party? This brings nothing but the voice is due to the 5 -% threshold (at the European elections is really nonsense - in other countries, such a threshold exists no reasonably ) wasted anyway. As I put on the other hand: If everyone think so, never changes anything, no new party has more chance. And anyway, Wasted to whom? A voice that will be useful if a small party, deprives you of an established party. She is also in the total vote count one (which is option 3 is not the case). A visible protest, then, is are striking in the sum not only the media but also the major parties (as happened for example through the establishment of the Pirate Party in Sweden, the other parties to change their positions with respect to copyright prompted out of fear still losing more votes).

Option 3: Deliberately invalid choose

Another expression of protest: a "big cross" to make, say the entire ballot strike out the motto: ". Nothing suitable, please submit a better offer" Although creative in approach, but the benefits ineffective ago. For more than a one-time press coverage this fall is not in the best case. In addition, the major parties would benefit from it (and continue to govern the next few years unchanged) because invalid votes - and that would otherwise deliberately placed crosses expected - not in the statistics are displayed. Only set the percentage to be seen as indifferent hundred. You just go from a certain number of invalid votes, and would have been dramatically increased, that for the media in general would be an issue ...

Option 4: Focus on direct mandates

This concept was a few years, mainly through the website www.williweise.de popular. The idea, to be elected by their own self-determined, non-party candidates to parliament, is basically not a bad (for the social elections in 2011 there is a similar proposal: www.sozialwahl2011.net ). For the European elections, however, this strategy is obsolete, since only a single vote for a party can be made.

Option 5: You do not choose to go

And this brings us back to the quotation of the Policy, no actually Parteiverdrossenen: "The politicians do anyway, what they want." And they will do in the future without doubt still bolder, Passable if nothing is done. So a party of non-voters found? No, was the approach it - he met with no response ...

Gabor Steingart, employees of the news magazine Der Spiegel and author of the title "The question of power - views of a non-voter" , advises on its website www.demokratie-erneuern.de : "Who wants to drive the opening of today's party-state may not acknowledge him. Who chooses, agrees. "Voted Steingart reason for abstention and hoped to" a new electoral law, with more influence for the citizens, direct election of the President, further development of the Basic Law for a democratic constitution, introduction of direct democracy by referendum at the federal level. "I ask him the question: How can a people to empower themselves again, if it is the only and last democratic right of participation, namely, the choice can fall as well? For me, it could rather be interpreted as a signal that citizens wanted NO plebiscitary democracy! To us that the franchise would have taken too ...

"Who sleeps in a democracy, wakes up in a dictatorship," Goethe already knew.

So my advice: go to the polls on Sunday!

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