ZAGREB, May 7, 2018 – Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković said on Monday the main intention of an initiative for a referendum to change the election law was to weaken the political system, adding that, instead, it was necessary to strengthen and democratise political parties and education.
A citizens’ initiative called The People Decides has announced that it will collect signatures on May 13-27 for a referendum to change the election law. Their goal, they say, is to ensure greater voter decision making in the election of their MPs, greater voter participation in elections, and reduce political bargaining and corruption.
“It seems to me the main intention is to weaken the political and party system that we have now. It has its weaknesses, of course, it is far from ideal, but that doesn’t mean that every change is good. There are changes which can shake what is already good,” Jandroković said in parliament.
Instead of changing the election law, one should concentrate on the advantages of the current political system, removing weaknesses, strengthening and democratising political parties, and strengthening education.
“I think the erosion of political parties leads to nothing good. I think the strengthening of the system, education and the democratisation of parties are a better path than highlighting only those individuals who, mostly using social networks and mass media, will draw attention to themselves,” Jandroković said. “What actually hides behind them as persons we discover only when they become political stars or starlets who very often have nothing important to give, with everything boiling down to some attraction or cheap form,” he added.
