Slavyangrad

20 December 2022 10:27

🔻🔺🇸🇰🇧🇬Analysis: The Liberal not-so democracy of Europe (by Luis) ( @slavyangrad )

(Part 1 of 2)

Recently, the center-right, neoliberal, pro-war government of Slovakia collapsed. As it is often the story in discredited democracies, an anti-corruption government failed to fight corruption, became more and more unpopular, and clashed with allies until it became no longer sustainable.

In parliamentarism, this normally would lead to a routine snap election. Problem is, in Slovakia, the parliament isn't dissolved automatically. As weird as it might sound, in Slovakia turkeys need to vote for christmas. Two thirds of the members of the parliament need to approve snap elections, and there is a big chance the outgoing government, sure to be massacred in new elections, might block it. Even more when there is already anxiety among the mainstream European press about leftist and "populist" parties, with a more balanced opinion about the war in Ukraine, being elected in their place. The implicit proposal from these liberal actors is a "caretaker" unelected government, appointed by the president, carrying on until 2024.

Government impasses such as these are common in the EU. What is not so normal is not just the frequency of such events, but the cynicism through which liberals not just do not make their best efforts to have an elected government leading the country, the most basic requirement of a democracy, but cynically exploit those incidents to curb "populism" or whatever they don't like.

The situation is even more surreal in Bulgaria. Since April of 2021 the country had four elections, with two snap elections due to the failed government negotiations and another one due to a short lived government collapsing. 61% of the country abstained on the last, lending no credibility to any of the political forces. But there are two main blocks vying for power: both are "atlanticist", neo-liberal, support privatizations and unconditional help to Ukraine. Despite having so much in common, instead of combining forces these parties want the other side to rule, so to exploit what will surely be an unpopular and weak government by their rival. Even though they know a fifth election will be unavoidable, they blame every other party for this situation, including the president begrudgingly trying to run the country, and try to play around with the timing of the next election, right now aiming to delay it for as long as possible. Meanwhile, while elections don't happen, the country stays on "automatic pilot" mode aligned with the sanctions and economic demands from the EU, instead of fighting serious issues at the moment such as poverty and the cost of living.

Bulgaria and Slovakia have another thing in common: a big difference between the popular opinion and the opinion of law makers regarding their participation in the war against Russia. Most voters wants their problems prioritized over this. New elections might return results they do not like. But furthermore, there is already a very skeptical, cynical attitude towards politics in Eastern Europe which this circus certainly will not help. Apathy also plays in favour of the eurocrats: the majority of Bulgarians no longer care about of the results of elections. They know it is pointless.

(continues to part 2)

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