About Elections and Voting

Parliamentary elections are approaching in Finland and living in Slovakia has made me look at our right for a vote from a new perspective.

There is no such thing as democracy. There are good attempts at it, but true democracy is nonexistent on this planet. Still, what we in Finland call democracy is a lifeline that we wouldn't exist without.

I live in a country that has the lowest voting percentage in Europe. People in Slovakia simply don't vote. One reason is probably that being able to influence stately matters is still a very new thing. There are still a lot of people (mainly elderly) who think that communism was the best thing that ever happened. Another reason is that in such a corrupt country people have completely lost faith. They don't think that their vote counts at all because it's just that, only one vote. And here's a perfect example for all those Finns back at home who think along the same lines: when there are enough of yous the country will go to shit. So yes, your vote DOES COUNT!

I don't believe in this "if you don't vote, you're not allowed to have an opinion"-bullshit, everybody's entitled to their opinions. But not voting is basically you ignoring a civil right that most people in the world do not have. Can you really afford to take something like that for granted?

Even though the system in Finland prevents me from giving my vote to the person who I'd really like to, I am still going to vote. Just because it's the right thing to do. For me it's a sign of solidarity and justice.