Presidential elections represent one of the most powerful electoral forums and many try to confiscate it, according to political analyst Radu Magdin, who believes that moments of fair play in politics are rare not only in Romania, but also in other countries, informs Agerpres.
"I think we would have too idyllic a vision of politics if we expected it to be just a confrontation of ideas. Moments of fair play are rare not only in Romania, but also in other countries, we can think of the USA, for example. The much more intense media coverage of politics and the growing role of social networks are now bringing out much more the highly competitive nature of politics. Politics is not just about public policy, but also about character. This is even more apparent in highly personalized elections like the presidential election. We will see attacks on the candidates' backgrounds, the people around them, their private lives, because these things are part of the ABC of elections. The stakes are simply too high, some put their careers on the line, some parties are fighting for survival or power, to have successful electoral campaigns," the political analyst told AGERPRES.
In his opinion, the presidential race is largely centered on the 5-6 candidates who have a chance to enter the second round, the rest being more or less "exotic candidates".
"At the top, the battle is very tight, tighter than ever, so each candidate is trying to differentiate himself. You are talking about personal attacks, I interpret them as attempts to define the counter-candidates," he pointed out.
Equality is a hindrance in elections, everyone runs away from it, says Radu Magdin, who believes that elections are ultimately about winners and losers.
"We are only told that politics is the continuation of war by other means. There's a lot of talk in this campaign about the strength of the parties and obviously it has an important mobilizing role. What's more, we have very well-known candidates, but also some that nobody knows. Presidential elections are one of the most powerful electoral platforms and many are trying to confiscate it. But it is also clear that some find it much more difficult to get to the microphone and address the public," the analyst said.
Referring to "respect" for the political opponent, just as there is respect for the sports opponent, Radu Magdin says that "respect is rara avis in other campaigns as well".
"Just see how Donald Trump spoke about Hillary Clinton or how Democrats refer to the former Republican president. I still dare to hope that, if we have debates between the major candidates, there will still be some minimal norms of civility that will be respected. In addition, in the second round, when coalitions are being sought, the main candidates will court those who didn't make it to the final - we will then see this courteous, honeyed side of politics," he emphasized.
The fact that Romanians doubt that the elections are free and fair should give us a lot to think about, the analyst added.
"The drop in confidence in the quality of the electoral process is a very worrying aspect, as can also be seen in the Eurobarometer data on Romania. The fact that Romanians doubt that the elections are free and fair should give us a lot to think about, because questioning the integrity of the elections is a sign that our democracy is not sufficiently consolidated. I hope that we get through these elections with stronger institutions and a stronger democracy, one that can show that it can stand up to the polarization inherent in election campaigns," Magdin said.
As for the respect that candidates in the elections have for voters, the analyst said he disagrees with the idea of "extremely cynical" politicians.
"I think that politicians fear voters and elections and it is very good that this is happening. This is how electoral control is created, when politicians think about the electoral effects of their decisions," political analyst Radu Magdin added.
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