Romania is facing a rate of participation in low elections. In the first round, the presence at the vote was 53.21%, including the votes expressed from abroad. This means that almost half of the citizens who have the right to vote did not go to the ballot box. When they were in this situation, states such as Belgium, Australia or Singapore decided to impose the mandatory vote, the absence at the ballot box being sanctioned with fines or legal restrictions. Sociologists, however, argue that such measures would be not only inappropriate in the case of Romania, but also difficult to achieve.
Some states impose the presence at the photo polls Inquam Photos / Octav Ganea
In the first elections after the Revolution, in 1990, the largest voting participation was registered. 17.2 million citizens then appeared on the electoral lists. Over 14.8 million came to the ballot box, that is over 86%, and the poll at that time was the only one in which a candidate won from the first round.
The current electoral lists count over 18 million Romanians with the right to vote in the country and almost one million abroad, but the presence has reached in recent years a little over half. The specialists estimate this year, at round II, an approximate presence of 60%. According to a recent poll, almost a quarter of the electorate (27.1%) remains either undisclosed or reluctant to declare its option. Also, 14% indicate an absence on May 18.
In order to avoid such situations, about 20 countries impose the voters on voters. These include Belgium, Greece, Luxembourg, Australia, Argentina or Singapore. In some countries, the law is strictly applied, with fines or other legal consequences for those who do not vote, while in others, the obligation is rather symbolic, without real sanctions. For example, those who do not vote for no justified reason in Australia can be fined up to 170 Australian dollars, and in Singapore the non -participation without an accepted justification can lead to temporary deletion from the electoral lists.
Sociologists, however, argue that such measures would be not only inappropriate in the case of Romania, but also difficult to achieve.
This is because we do not have precise data on the real number of citizens with voting rights in each locality.
“Today, when we talk, it seems impossible to put into practice such a work, because, unfortunately for us, we do not have real data on the population with real voting in each locality in this country. And then, the obligation that must come as a form of punishment, that it is a fine, whatever the form of punishment, will not be a good. decades ”, explains the sociologist Vladimir Ionaș Avangarde) for “Adevărul”.
For his part, the sociologist Remus Stefureac (Inscop) says that the real presence of the Romanians would actually rise to over 60%.
“We have to be correct when we report and analyze figures, because it is easy to make a comparison of the type in Romania is 50% and in Germany is 70%. Only that this comparison is incorrect. And it is as if we compare apples with pears, for a very simple reason. There are 5, I do not live on the territory of Romania. says Remus Stefureac.
Why is it not favorable to impose the presence at the ballot box
However, regarding the imposition of such obligations, the sociologist Vladimir Ionaș points out that obviously “”A greater presence at the vote would bring extra legitimacy and stop the sterile debates after the victory of a candidate related to his legitimacy ”but such conditions would bring “A negative reaction” from citizens.
“In Greece and Belgium, for example, there are small fines that do a large part of the population anyway not to attend the vote because they do not bother them. They are rather minimal punishments, but it is also a matter of the civic sense and the citizen's habit of voting.”Ionaș believes.
And Remus Stefureac is of the opinion that legitimacy must be a natural one, and the conditions would create disadvantages regarding the Romanian politics: “I think it would be the most unfortunate decision, taking punitive measures that determine a greater presence. (…) I do not think that, at least related to the culture, to say, the cultural models in the Romanian space would work such a matter. Culture and I do not think it would resonate well to such issues.
The sociologist also emphasizes that “Absentism can be a form of protest”which must be noted. “Things must go hand in hand, have a more prepared, integral, more competent class and then we will have a greater voting presence.”concludes Remus Stefureac.
