Thursday’s election in the United Kingdom – held on time and transparently – was a true display of democracy at its finest, the product of a system which allows its citizens to decide who will represent their interests.

Having long prided itself on being the one true democracy in the Middle East, Lebanon might do well to reflect on whether it really can be defined as one.

Putting the obvious differences – political history and regional climate – aside, there are simple steps which Lebanon needs to take to deserve the democratic title. In the British election, winners and losers, in general, were gracious in victory or defeat, and there were no accusations of corruption, no gunfights – whether among candidates or supporters.

But here, bereft of a president, even talk of setting an election date is highly controversial, and not deemed a right for the people, but a gift bestowed upon them. Similarly, while politicians elsewhere realize that they are servants of the people, here they largely act as if Lebanese citizens are their minions, here to serve their interests and help them maintain power, not actually represent their interests in parliament or anything like that. And when elections are held, most of those standing are there by dint of their heritage, being the son or wife or brother of someone else in power.

Students and intellectuals, writers and nurses and firemen and anyone who cares about the future of this country must try to come up with a new word which describes Lebanon’s political system, or lack thereof. Then democracy can become the goal to work toward, not a word to throw around with no regard for its definition.

SOURCE:   http://dailystar.com.lb/Opinion/Editorial/2015/May-09/297306-a-lesson-in-democracy.ashx