Sociology researcher, Soraya Al-Tijani, considered that the first days of the electoral campaign revealed a number of imbalances, led by the political discourse and communication methods adopted by a number of parties and candidates. She indicated in a statement to Al-Khabar that “a significant portion of political actors fell into the trap of populism at the expense of the programmatic debate related to the nature of legislative elections and the tasks of members of parliament.”
Although the researcher stressed the difficulty of conducting a comprehensive assessment of the course of the electoral campaign at this stage, given that it is still in its infancy, she recorded a number of aspects that require us to stop at it. She added that field monitoring showed a delay in a number of candidates and parties entering the electoral race, and running the campaign remotely, that is, via social media networks with a limited presence of propaganda posters, noting that “the public debate has not yet moved deeper into the street, nor has it risen to the level of bets related to the election of members of the National People’s Assembly.”
The researcher noted the dominance of generalities and broad slogans in the electoral discourse, in contrast to the absence of precise programs and clear goals that allow voters to understand the perceptions presented regarding sensitive economic, social, and political issues.
Al-Tijani linked this situation to the weakness of advance preparation for the electoral entitlement within political parties, stressing that “the process of preparing candidates should be part of continuous political work that extends from one term to another, allowing for the formation of competencies and qualifying them to assume responsibility.” It also considered that the large number of files and lists that were subject to reservation or exclusion reflects the existence of imbalances at multiple levels, and raises questions about the criteria adopted by parties in selecting their candidates and the extent to which priority is given to competence and experience.
Meanwhile, the researcher warned of the negative effects of the stereotype that reduces running for parliament to being a means of social promotion, considering that this view harms the status of the legislative institution and affects citizens’ confidence in it, especially with some candidates adopting slogans that focus on winning over voters more than on the nature of the representative’s legislative and oversight tasks.
Al-Tijani criticized the resort of some candidates to the use of colloquial language when addressing voters, considering that simplifying the speech is legitimate, provided that it does not come at the expense of the content of the political message or the serious discussion related to programs and ideas. However, she expressed her reservations about the level of representation of elites and competencies within the current lists, stressing that Parliament needs competencies capable of drafting legal texts and discussing major national issues.
She acknowledged, however, that there are positive aspects related to the proactive measures taken by the Independent National Election Authority, by dropping thousands of nomination files that do not comply with legal requirements, considering that this represents a necessary step to enhance the credibility of the electoral process and improve the quality of future parliamentary representation.
The researcher stressed the importance of intensifying efforts to attract voters and enhance popular participation during the remainder of the electoral campaign, through a speech that is more closely related to citizens’ daily concerns, and stressed that restoring the confidence of the electorate is not achieved by making broad promises that are difficult to materialize, but rather by making realistic and achievable commitments in the areas of purchasing power, housing, local development, and public services, while clarifying the limits of the parliamentary representative’s powers and the mechanisms for his intervention in addressing the problems at hand.
