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You are left-wing and you go to the polls. Should you vote strategically? This question concerns many people. Some act as if a strategic vote for GroenLinks-PvdA is the only option for the left. “Because otherwise we will have a right-wing cabinet.”
But this is nonsense. Given the Dutch electoral system, it remains possible for the left to vote ideologically and to vote for the party that best represents you and your politics, without undermining the left-wing movement. And once you realize what would happen if such a strategic vote does not turn out well, then it seems clear to me that it is better to vote ideologically. Vote for a left-wing party that suits you well––or maybe even a bit more left-wing.
Are you a strategic voter?
You vote strategically if you vote for a party that is not actually closest to your own politics, but you still think it would be better for that party to get more votes than other even worse parties.
In the Netherlands, such a strategic vote is always about the coalition. Which parties will be allowed to form a government? Perhaps the party you would actually like to vote for would most likely not become a governing party. And with that in mind, you could decide to vote for a party that is still a bit left-wing and that could be a government party. The idea is that if that works, you will still get some left-wing voice in the government. And that would be a win, right?
In other words, you are now ideologically leaning more towards BIJ1 or PvdD, but precisely because you are so passionate about the left-wing movement, you vote for Timmermans’ team – even though he compromises many of your ideals just to give a place to that party. neoliberal and capitalist table.
If this is your reasoning, then you are a strategic voter. And then this piece is meant for you.
Don’t just think about success, but also about failure
Your strategic voice has a downside. The strategy behind it could well fail. Of course they don’t say that, but it could very well be that one or more of those nasty right-wing parties turn out to be bigger than GroenLinks-PvdA. At least that’s how it looks in the polls. And so, you have to admit, that’s how things could go next week.
If the strategy fails, then you’re really left with baked pears––or watermelons, or rainbow flags. Because if you fail to make those Timmermans the largest, while you and your left-wing comrades have voted strategically, then you have both a nasty right-wing coalition and a gaping hole where a real left-wing opposition should have been. Because every strategic vote for Timmermans is one less vote for the real left.
In other words, although the success story of the strategic voice promises a slightly more bearable future, the very real possibility of failure of that strategy is linked to deep ideological misery, and possibly a years-long moratorium on the real left.
So think about that carefully. If you had a choice, would you want a dirty right-wing cabinet to govern without a solid left-wing opposition? Or would you prefer to see a truly left-wing opposition in the room with such a right-wing cabinet? Because with such a left-wing opposition, neoliberal, climate-destroying and racist policies could at least count on pushback from the House itself. The past right-wing cabinet periods have also shown how effective truly left-wing opposition parties can be in putting issues on the agenda and achieving social change, even if they only have a small number of seats.
We are free to vote ideologically
Look, in a country like the United Kingdom the left is in a much more difficult package. They have one first-past-the-postelectoral system, where the election result is determined per constituency and only one party may cross the finish line per constituency. So if you vote in Liverpool, it only looks at which party in Liverpool has the most votes. Liverpool wins that game. Each district ultimately provides only one seat: that of the winning party.
This means that in the United Kingdom you will vote for a smaller left-wing party, such as the Green Party, hardly makes any sense. The right-wing Conservatives, who are now in government, will almost certainly attract more votes in your constituency than the left-wing but relatively unknown Green Party. So it is actually impossible for your constituency to have a seat for the Green Party will yield (Brighton is the exception). The result is that there are really only two major parties left in the UK: the Conservatives, and Labour––their variation on the PvdA. Either one will rule, or the other.
This is frustrating for the British left. Because of course they also want the party that best represents them to enter parliament and represent them there. And that party is not obviously Labour. But they also know that those seats of the Green Party there’s no way you’re going to get through it first-past-the-post electoral system.
The frustration among left-wing voters in the United Kingdom has only become more sour in recent years, as Keir Starmer is now at the helm of Labour. Starmer can be seen as the English Frans Timmermans. Trying under his leadership Labour to seize power by getting as close as possible to the right-wing Conservatives. To achieve this, Starmer has created the Labourparty must strip away left-wing ideals on climate, immigration, equality and the war in Gaza.
But while the British left really does this in a pickle and actually has no choice but to hold their nose and vote for Labor anyway, the left in the Netherlands simply has the option to vote ideologically. Because small parties can also enter parliament in the Netherlands. There isn’t one here first-past-the-post electoral system and in the Netherlands every vote counts equally. So the votes that a party obtains in Assen, Culemborg, Alkmaar and Bunnik are all added together. That is why, even in 2023, it is indeed possible to vote a truly left-wing voice in parliament in our country.
Dreaming of a left-wing formation
Of course, it would be a bonus if Timmermans could lead the formation later. Imagine: could he possibly win so many seats that he would prefer cooperation with the other left-wing parties to Omtzigt? I see a lot of people talking about wishful thinking here. And admit it, it’s not a bad fantasy. But do you really see it happening? Not me. Not really. Not now that GroenLinks/PvdA is shrinking in the polls instead of growing. Not in the Netherlands in 2023, where even current government parties say things that would make Janmaat blush.
And even if Timmermans were to win the most seats, we would still be stuck with a coalition that most likely favors the right. Timmermans is already exploring that route himself. And would that be with your blessing?
So if you are still considering strategic voting, don’t just look at the consequences of such a strategy if it turns out to be a great success. Also remember that there is a real chance that things will go wrong. Wonder what happens then. Keep in mind that if the strategy fails, you will be left empty-handed: a right-wing coalition and no significant left-wing opposition. The choice is yours.
The situation is actually becoming clearer to myself. In my opinion, the sensible vote for the left is a vote for a truly left-wing party. If I were you, I wouldn’t even shy away from voting more left-wing than usual this time. Because with the monstrosity of a cabinet that probably awaits us, the opposition cannot be left-wing enough.
2023-11-18 20:09:33
#left #vote #strategically #Netherlands #fortunately #Joop #BNNVARA
