The other day I went to a restaurant on a Friday night to have dinner. Everything seemed normal: nice atmosphere, nice people, nice food. But one thing was special: Everybody watched the TV at the wall. and followed what happened on the screen: The watchers were discussing, cheering, turning away in disgust, laughing, clapping their hands, complaining...; all kind of reactions that one can imagine. They just had one thing in common: All of them were really fascinated and watched carefully. Have a guess, where this was and what they were watching...?!
Some Germans or British watching soccer?
Some Americans watching basketball???
...
It actually happened in downtown Tunis. People were watching the live broadcast from a regular session of the country's new, and for the first time democratically elected Constitutional Assembly.
Yes: nothing entertaining - as one might think.
Yes: some two-hundred politicians talking pure politics.
Yes: on a Friday night at 9 pm in the restaurant area of a busy capital.
I was wondering: Would something like that be possible in my country, Germany? All sessions of our parlament are broadcast live, so technically, one could easily put up the Bundestag debates in a bar in Mitte or Prenzlauer Berg at a Friday night. Certainly: Just thinking of it seems ridiculous to me. Yet, wouldn't that be the actual essence of democracy? Can one think of a more concrete example for a vivid civil society and for a people that, being the sovereign, actively exerts it's control function over the politicians? While the West is watching other countries develop towards their long desired democratic systems, it should not overlook the opportunities to learn itself from them - for example the touching features of this kind of observations in a normal bar in Tunisia. Democracy is something that has to be fought for every day. Some inspiration from young democracies that still know, feel and actively appreciate the features of democracy that we sometimes take for granted would help every now and then...
Some Germans or British watching soccer?
Some Americans watching basketball???
...
It actually happened in downtown Tunis. People were watching the live broadcast from a regular session of the country's new, and for the first time democratically elected Constitutional Assembly.
Yes: nothing entertaining - as one might think.
Yes: some two-hundred politicians talking pure politics.
Yes: on a Friday night at 9 pm in the restaurant area of a busy capital.
I was wondering: Would something like that be possible in my country, Germany? All sessions of our parlament are broadcast live, so technically, one could easily put up the Bundestag debates in a bar in Mitte or Prenzlauer Berg at a Friday night. Certainly: Just thinking of it seems ridiculous to me. Yet, wouldn't that be the actual essence of democracy? Can one think of a more concrete example for a vivid civil society and for a people that, being the sovereign, actively exerts it's control function over the politicians? While the West is watching other countries develop towards their long desired democratic systems, it should not overlook the opportunities to learn itself from them - for example the touching features of this kind of observations in a normal bar in Tunisia. Democracy is something that has to be fought for every day. Some inspiration from young democracies that still know, feel and actively appreciate the features of democracy that we sometimes take for granted would help every now and then...
Wow, thank you! What a moving account!
ReplyDeleteI imagine how amazing it must be to wake up to democracy. The feelings of hope and of a future that one can join in creating. I have an Egyptian friend here in Essex who returned to Cairo repeatedly this year in order to take part and be a part of the change. I myself was witness of a change in political systems, from autocratic to democratic. But back then i was still too young to understand the entire significance of that event. Yet, as a child i still much appreciated the breakdown of that wall. Because we found that there were awesome playgrounds on the other side!
I agree that we have become used to living in democracy and that we often trust our representatives will do it right. With a few exceptions i do not streamline plenary debates, excerpts shown in the nightly news are enough for me. Most of the times those debates are too boring and way too much party power haggling.
But, i have the impression that many Western citizens do care about democracy, pluralism, expression, equality and politics in general. Look at the anti-nuclear movement in Germany, the Stuttgart-21 campaign, the demonstrations for education reform in the UK, Chile, Germany and elsewhere this year, the Occupy Wall Street movement that went global, and all the other people engaged in charities and non-profits on a daily basis. Many people who disagree with the state of things don't sit back but instead just become the change themselves. We live in fascinating times!
But now, who of my friends is currently in Tunisia and i have no clue??! If you don't want to out yourself on this blog (i actually really cannot see who posts to this blog!), pop me an email!
Much love to Tunis and thank you once more!
xx