Democracy and elections: the final episode of Pal-Think's «Democracy and Youth» radio programme

Pal-Think for Strategic Studies carried out the sixth and final episode of the programme “Democracy and Youth”, broadcast on the local Zaman radio at noon on Mondays and Wednesdays, within the project “Strengthening civil society's role in supporting the Palestinian elections”, funded by the Government of Canada.

The episode came under the title “Democracy and Youth”, with the participation of the young activists, the lawyers Zainab al-Az'ar and Amir Hasanein, and the participation of the writer and researcher in political science Dr Yahya Qaoud

Hasanein began his remarks by defining democracy, its origins, and its practice by peoples and governments. He likewise took up the forms of direct and indirect democracy, mentioned international models of these forms, and how the monarchical and republican systems apply democracy and the definition of these systems' tasks for applying democracy.

Hasanein continued his talk on elections as an important indicator of democracy — including the student-council elections, which the Palestinian student has not practised, resulting in constant problems in the universities — affirming the importance of youth's awareness of the rule of law and the Palestinian constitution.

Al-Az'ar likewise spoke of the right to elections and the elections law that defines the general frame of the elections, the eligibility of candidates and the elected, and the timeframe of the electoral process. She likewise made clear the difference between the general presidential and legislative elections and the local elections, took up in detail the characteristics of each kind separately, and also the stages of the electoral process and its conditions.

In a telephone intervention by the meeting's guest Dr Qaoud, he spoke of the importance of youth's participation in raising these topics, continuing his talk on democracy's relation to elections and affirming that there is no democracy without the practice of elections. He spoke of society's right to choose its representatives, whether in the Legislative Council or in the presidential office, and likewise spoke of lowering the age of candidacy and amending the law on that — affirming that the extent of democracy's practice is the measure of its success, and pointing out that the Palestinian people is the most in need of practising elections.

Qaoud spoke of the factors that must be taken into account for carrying out the elections, focusing here on the youth who have not practised elections for a decade and a half at all levels — even the student-council elections or the elections of the syndicates and unions. Here comes the role and tasks of think-tanks, studies centres, and civil-society institutions in raising youth's awareness of that, and the necessity of expanding to reach all youth, who form 22% of Palestinian society — and who, because of their non-participation in all elections, have developed a gap in the gradual progression of democratic practice.

Qaoud likewise spoke of the electoral system and the Palestinian constitution, which sets down the holding of elections every 4 years, while for 15 years no elections have been held — and this attests to the non-practice of democracy and to the growing ignorance of the rising generation of youth of the electoral process.

The designations used and the presentation of materials in this programme entail no expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Government of Canada