With every stemtest I take I get more disillusioned with the particracy. I agree on a small number of points from all the parties. Moreover, I have a feeling the parties' answers are made in such a way to maximize their electorate rather than stand by their principles. Parties lump together opinions which are demonstrably not popular in their electorate. Not every Groen voter hates nuclear, not every N-VA voter wants to split the country, not every PVDA voter wants to stop military support.
And I know this is a negative about a party system you have to embrace to benefit from the positives. However, people now vote strategically, parties govern with other parties like 3D chess, the seventh party delivers the prime minister and I still can't vote for parties from the other region. In short, Belgium's democracy is flawed and not fit for such a pluralistic country.
A referendum every now and then on important issues, alongside the party system would be nice. Other countries do it too and it works really well if you do it a lot, e.g., in Switzerland, where it also drives up political participation and knowledge. I am well aware of the shitshow called Brexit and 'royal question' referenda, but I am sure we can figure out some asterisks (minimum turn-out, supermajority on important issues, neutral information brochure from expert panel, regional majorities, consultative, …). Again, feel free to copy Switzerland's homework.
After the sixth state reform, there is actually a possibility for regional public consultation but it has never actually been used yet.
by CraaazyPizza
2 comments
Well, the only time we had a national referendum in Belgium, it was the “Question Royale” and the outcomes of it were not that great
Not a lot of appetite for referenda in Europe after Brexit, I can imagine.