On the 19th of July the Democratic People's Republic of Korea held elections for deputies to the provincial (municipal), city (district) and county people's assemblies. 99.97 per cent voters participated . An astounding high turnout unparalleled anywhere else in the world.
In the UK local elections in 2014 only 35.6 per cent of voters participated.During the last UK general election was 66.1 per cent. In the US presidential election of 2012 54 per cent of electors voted. In south Korea the voter turnout was 57 per cent in 2012. The turnout figures do not give the full picture however as in some capitalist countries large numbers of people are excluded from registering as voters for one reason or another. In the UK many young people refuse to register to vote believing that the whole system is rubbish so why bother to register to vote. Homeless people are excluded from registering to vote as they do have a fixed address. In the last UK general election 29 million voted out of an adult population of approximately 50 million meaning only 58 per cent of the adult population .
The result of the DPRK local elections proves that the DPRK has the most democratic, popular and progressive election system in the world . It proves false the allegations about "human rights " in the DPRK and proves that the DPRK is democratic. The decisively high turnout in the DPRK is also a manifestation of the single-hearted unity in the DPRK.
Of course elections in the DPRK are very different to capitalist countries. Some bourgeois commentators will make much the 'multi-party system ' . The reality of this is different candidates but with often paper thin idealogical differences trying to compete for votes(meaning voters have no real choice) . Of course the determining factor is money and elections in Western countries are basically a contest to see who can spend the most money . Most parliaments in capitalist countries are dominated by millionaires and billionaires . In the DPRK ordinary people can be nominate. Respected leader Marshal KIM JONG UN himself voted for a trolleybus driver and the head of a processing shop of a locomotive factory.
As the DPRK daily paper "Rodong Sinmun " stated " The elections are an important political work for demonstrating the intense loyalty and single-minded unity of the people to devotedly defend the Juche-oriented idea of the peerlessly great men of Mt. Paektu on power building and their exploits and add glory to them." Another daily paper Minju Joson commented participation in the elections will consolidate the revolutionary power of the DPRK.
Indeed elections in the DPRK are not mud-slinging contests or about bribing electors but to choose the best people for the job and to further consolidate the people's power, the revolutionary power of the DPRK and to powerfully demonstrate the single-hearted unity of the DPRK based on the Juche Idea .
Dermot Hudson
ASSPUK
JISGE
UK KFA
So how many candidates stand for election and if a person chooses to exercise their right not to vote is that allowed?
ReplyDeleteA total of 28 452 workers, farmers, intellectuals and officials were elected deputies to the local people's assemblies. Candidates were chosen at mass meetings in localities , no one who does not have the support of the people can go forward as a candidate. Local meetings thrash out who is the best candidate to go forward to to put on the list. People have the right not to vote but everyone is encouraged to vote by the Party and mass organisations
ReplyDelete