When the election campaigns start, I always get a bit of a headache when I turn on the TV or open the newspaper. Don't shout so loudly, I think. All at once, so loud that I can't really hear it. And then I turn off the TV, or put the newspaper away. Dropped out. And the rest of the year I don't hear anything. I'm never asked what I think about it. Whether I want to participate online in shaping the election program. For example.
Participating in politics, apart from casting your vote, used to mean that you had to be a member of a political party. Then you could (and still can) vote during party congresses. Nowadays we see that parties also want influence from voters who are not members. With the rise of social media, we find that involving citizens in politics has become more accessible. Politicians are easier to reach, (sometimes) talk back via Twitter. Politics is more transparent and that is already quite something! But there is still a long way to go because, as Maurits and Chris van de week also describe in their article , the 'old-fashioned shouting' often moves one-on-one to social media during election time. (Also read these articles on Frankwatching for a current state of affairs).
What I am openly surprised about is that I am not being reached at all by the political parties. greece telegram data Not even now that there is tweeting. Because with 'being reached' I do not mean shouting, but being involved, motivated. By the way, I am deliberately keeping this article to myself, because maybe you are being reached; let me know below!