this post was submitted on 04 Sep 2025
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We had opkomstplicht in our country until last year. All citizens are required to go to a polling station and enter a booth, but they can choose not to vote there ("blanco"). To prevent people from being bullied not to vote.
I thought it was the best system in the world, you can't prevent people from going this way. Politicians removed opkomstplicht at the local level. One of their reasons was some international body marked our country as being less democratic because of it, citing voting should be a choice and you shouldn't be forced, and people don't like to vote.
I think that's crazy, we had a solid protection from votes being bought, people being intimidated, gone for some populist bs.
Last local elections more people stayed home than expected, and I think I watched our democracy die a little.
I agree. Voting shouldn't be a choice. It incentivizes politicians and the media pushing a narrative that discourages participation. It should be required to at least attend, and then it's about the same effort to cast a meaningful vote if you're already informed.