We know, you're tired. For years you've been choosing between the same names, the same promises, and the same disappointments. And tomorrow, you've chosen not to vote. Because no one represents you. Because you no longer have faith. Because you see it as a game that others play, not you. Because maybe, maybe, you don't even care at all.
We understand. But let us give you some advice – not as analysts, not as moralists, but as someone who shares the same air, the same sidewalks, the same public spaces with you, and sometimes the same worries when you lay your head on the pillow at night:
1. "I'm not interested in politics" is a luxury that life can no longer afford.
The prices at the market are politics. The school your child goes to is politics. The traffic, the job you can't find, the healthcare that forces you into debt – they are all political decisions. If you don't get involved, you let others choose. And they choose for themselves, not for you.
2. If you, who think you are a responsible citizen, are not voting, doesn't it kill you to think who will do this in your country?
Simple: the loyal electorate, that is, those people who always vote, mainly for the same party and without thinking deeply about their choices. We are assuming that you are not this person. So, if you do not vote, do not be surprised when future decisions do not represent you. You were not even on the list of expectations of the politician who wants your vote.
3. Not voting as a protest is a weapon that has never struck in Albania.
If you protest by staying home, who is this harming? No one takes responsibility for the 1 million Albanians who did not vote. The only one who speaks is the ballot box. If it is empty, the parties see it as a sign of comfort, not revolt.
4. If you have no one to vote for, vote against. Yes, against.
There are ways to make it known that you disagree with someone. And that takes more space than silence. Silence is interpreted as apathy, not as protest. No one is swayed by a people who don't listen. An invalid vote is not a shame. It still remains a voice.
5. Voting is the minimum of a response. And we are at the point where the minimum is so valuable.
You're not being asked to go out into the street, make a revolution, or invent a party if you don't want to. You're being asked for 5 minutes – to go and show that you're alive. And yes, sometimes even that's enough to start something.
We're not saying that voting will change everything. But at least it means that you haven't given up. And that's a lot more than we think. And if you don't vote tomorrow, at least admit to yourself that you chose to remain silent. Don't say that no one gave you space. Because you had space.
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