On the occasion of the upcoming election campaign, Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Milan Antonijević, calls on all participants in the electoral process, political parties, candidates, as well as the media, and everyone taking part in public debates and on social media, to be aware of the responsibility carried by the public word.
The election campaign should be a space for confronting programmes, ideas and different views on the future of society. Sharp and well-argued political criticism is legitimate and desirable in a democratic society. However, political contest does not mean that all words and all forms of communication are permissible.
Unfortunately, we live in an extremely polarised society, and what is said in the public sphere can influence not only how society views political opponents, but also entire groups of people who are presented in political discourse as “different”, “less worthy”, undesirable or dangerous. Political disagreement is not a problem of democracy – it is an integral part of it. The problem arises when criticism turns into insults, belittling, threats, discrimination or incitement to hatred against an individual or a group, Antonijević points out.
He recalls that personal characteristics must not be used as a means of political disqualification, nor may they serve as a basis for insults, humiliation, the spreading of stereotypes and prejudice, or calls for intolerance. This applies to national or ethnic affiliation, sex, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and any other personal characteristic.
The Commissioner also reminds the media of the importance of responsible reporting during the election campaign. The manner in which political statements are reported, contextualised and presented to the public can contribute to reasoned debate, but also to a further increase in tensions and the spread of discriminatory messages.
Communication on social media represents a particular challenge. The anonymity or distance provided by a screen does not release anyone from responsibility for the written word. Insulting and discriminatory comments, calls for violence and hatred, as well as the systematic insulting of individuals or groups, do not become more acceptable simply because they are posted as a comment beneath an article or on a personal page, Antonijević adds.
The Commissioner also recalls the obligation to ensure the equal participation of women in political life. He therefore calls on all political parties and other participants in the electoral process, when compiling electoral lists, to consistently comply with the legally prescribed representation of the less represented sex of at least 40 per cent. Equal participation of women on electoral lists is not only a legal obligation, but also an important indicator of the willingness of political actors to apply equality in their own actions.
The election campaign should be an opportunity for citizens to hear what political actors are offering them, but also to see the values they stand for and the manner in which they apply them in their own actions. Therefore, instead of competing in insults, disqualifications and raising tensions, political contest should be a space for reasoned debate, equal participation and respect for diversity, Commissioner Antonijević concludes.
