Editorial by Managing Director Alexander De Beir
Elections: honesty matters too!
Promises only bind those who believe them. This phrase has been attributed, among others, to the late politician and French President Jacques Chirac. The cynicism inherent in this quip has always deeply troubled me. At ADM, one of our fundamental principles is that we never make a promise unless we are certain we can keep it. I certainly do not want to (solely) cast stones at the man who led the world’s seventh great power from 1995 to 2007.
I also want to distance myself from any inclination toward “politics bashing.” In their enthusiasm, politicians can sometimes mistake their desires for reality and make grand promises that prove impossible to fulfill. Winston Churchill took a different approach, stating resolutely, “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat”. History would prove him right. His people endured. Yet, this sober “no nonsense” statement still stands as one of great political courage. Churchill still ranks as one of the most admired or greatest Britons.
In a month’s time, we will be expected to cast our votes. From the programs of various parties, I discern a rhetoric of “quid pro quo”. Promises give way to perspectives, outlooks that, in turn, depend on the engagement and sense of responsibility of the citizen. This trend can only be encouraged. The voter has rights and duties. Only a healthy balance between them can propel our society forward. Perhaps the uncertainty in the world in recent years has made politicians aware that citizens are indeed capable of dealing with bad news or difficult circumstances.
Let us now hope that the political debates of the coming weeks are conducted constructively. There can be vigorous discussion, as long as it is respectful and the viewer or listener feels that it is not at their expense. No desire for self-promotion at all costs, no binary “us” against “them” debates, but a “yes, we can” feeling where the entire population can and wants to be “activated” to collectively create a better society to face the challenges of the future.
Ministers and commissioners as interim managers…
Future ministers and secretaries of state will all have a vested interest in stepping into the shoes of, yes, interim managers. They are entrusted with a mandate to successfully complete a temporary mission, usually the duration of a legislative term. Initially, they all practice a profession from which they temporarily step aside or make room for a civic engagement. Just to be clear: time is needed to implement a program, a plan. Time and space are also needed to conduct responsible political governance with the other interim managers forming a government. The dictatorship of immediacy, to which social media is among the guilty parties, should not interfere with that.
…as well as members of parliament
The principle of representation remains essential. Otherwise, we will descend into chaos. Politicians who accept that they are only given a temporary mission by the citizen, even if that mission can be renewed due to success, will feel freer to build bridges, think as a problem-solver and pursue clear goals.
Above all, let us all be grateful for those who fought to give us the luxury today of being able to express our own opinions and that a new generation of young people (younger than ever) can make their voices heard at the ballot box. No, it’s not that obvious. But with competent interim managers on board our political structures, we can strengthen our democracy and elevate it to a higher level!
