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Even though countries like Belgium recorded an electoral turnout of 90 per cent, more than half the member states recorded a majority of abstentions in the last European elections.

Abstention has become the majority choice since 1999. A growing phenomenon, which is not good for the health of the European Union.
#data #datasong #sheldon #shelsonstudio #datastorytelling #ai #music #aisong #socialdesign #europe #election #result #turnout #abstentionism

Here’s @kmckenna63 in July 2022 suggesting #abstentionism – currently isp.scot are the only pro-independence party who’ve embraced this route to de-legitimising English rule of Scotland.

“…at the 2024 General Election then the stated intention that all SNP MPs would abstain from Westminster would signify implacable intent as well as convey honesty and integrity.”

http://archive.today/HjLj2

I didn't mean to, but after the depicted exchange on the birdsite I ended up composing the following with respect to voting abstentionism. #elections #voting #nonvoting #abstentionism #anarchism

"As far as the similarity [between not voting and not going to work] goes, I don't think the best version of the argument is that individuals voting or not voting (or going to work) de/legitimizes the political (or economic) system. The compelling version of the argument, I think, needs to be that mass non/participation is what has a de/legitimizing effect. The element of mass is what marks the difference with respect to compulsion (it's harder to read non-voting as a deliberative action, e.g.). That's part of what makes the analogy you offered not so strong to me. Anyway, the issue with contemporary abstentionism is that it's individual & largely passive, an ethical, rather than a strategic stance, a weakness of much apparent leftism (which it appears we agree about). The compelling theory of legitimation by participation would require actual abstentionist campaigning, which does not happen, here at least. I suspect part of the reason for this is that there's a recognition among anarchists that this is not our most persuasive practice. There is, nonetheless, an argument for individual non-voting—which is that, imo, the evidence isn't especially convincing that voting for the lesser evil, or even a favorable candidate, in the long term produces better outcomes particularly regarding the viability of revolution."