By: Peter Jančič
The ruling party plans a series of advisory referendums. Also, on whether they will recreationally smoke weed. Marijuana. This is proposed by Svoboda.
Advisory referendums are votes that do not bind the authorities, they are somewhat like surveys, for which they spend money because two years after the elections, they do not know what to do. Both the ruling and opposition parties propose these referendums to influence the course of debates before the upcoming European elections. One such referendum would likely be on the teaching of Serbian and Albanian in schools, which the government parties attempted to legalise, or on the ban on the use of wood for heating. For these referendums, NSi even proposes a referendum day, although it is unlikely that decisions on these dilemmas will even be made. The ruling coalition will only call for what suits and benefits them. However, we are likely to have a referendum on euthanasia, proposed by MPs from three government parties, a referendum on recreational marijuana smoking, desired by Svoboda, as well as a referendum on the use of nuclear energy, proposed by all parties in parliament except the Levica and one MP from Svoboda, who have difficulties because this referendum is about continuing to use Western nuclear technology, which is not in Russia’s interest, as Russia would like to sell us its technology, especially fossil fuels. Where Russia’s interests lie, the far left and far right have difficulties. We all know why.
In Russia, elections are currently taking place, where Vladimir Putin will surely win. There, it is not about non-binding decisions: all serious opponents are dead, imprisoned, or have been prevented from participating in the elections. Nothing is left to chance.
French President Emmanuel Macron has taken a different path, doing what politicians in our country call for advisory referendums on when it comes to nuclear energy or euthanasia. He has also initiated a debate on whether to send troops to Ukraine to prevent Russia’s victory, especially as the West, including due to pre-election games in the US, failed to provide enough weapons and ammunition for Ukrainians, resulting in many casualties. He announced French troops in Odesa. He described it simply: the president decides, and that is me. He did not announce a non-binding advisory referendum, which could be influenced by Russia. It is still far from certain that French soldiers will actually be in Ukraine. However, Macron has shown determination, which is rarely found in Europe, and almost none in Slovenia among the ruling parties. Here, the only serious dilemma for the authorities is the recreational use of marijuana.
Macron also announced that in May, a proposal for a law enabling assisted dying will be presented in the French Parliament. A person wishing to die would have to be capable enough to drink a special cocktail on their own. If they were unable to do so, a third person could assist them. In this regard, Macron dramatically differs from our government, which did not propose any solutions. Instead, it rejected a proposal from civil society in parliament, triggering revolt among doctors who would have to assist in the “ingestion of poison”, for which health insurance would be paid as a form of treatment. Public health insurance. They have money for everything there, except for sick people.
Svoboda rejected the proposal from “the people” and then announced a non-binding referendum on the idea, without specificity. This makes it easier to win. So, instead of a well-prepared law in the government, which the government coalition would adopt because it has a huge majority in the National Assembly, there will be a non-binding referendum on the idea in our country.
Allowing assisted dying in France, of course, would not be available to everyone. It would be an option for those suffering from incurable diseases, whose pain cannot be alleviated. In addition, the person would have to be of legal age and capable of judgment. Switzerland also has a similar solution.
However, instead of working seriously on such issues, Svoboda proposes a non-binding referendum on the recreational use of marijuana, while the coalition once again discusses whether to amend the system of electing MPs. The people have already decided on the electoral system in a binding referendum in the past. The majority favoured a majoritarian system of elections, where candidates are chosen rather than parties. However, there were severe problems because the parties in power were unwilling to accept this popular decision. Eventually, they changed the constitution because the Constitutional Court demanded legislation to enact what the majority of people decided in the referendum. They included a lie in the constitution stating that “voters have a decisive influence on the allocation of mandates to candidates”. They do not. None whatsoever. Because the parties deceived the people. And even now, when they are again calling for a referendum, the majoritarian system would not be on the table. Because once again, the majority of people would favour giving the power to the people and not the parties.
All these advisory referendums, including the one on marijuana for Svoboda, will surely be another in a series of great achievements for the ruling parties. They have succeeded in buying a magnificent courthouse in Ljubljana, more than ten thousand mega laptops, establishing five of the best additional ministries, replacing the heads of practically all major state health institutions, where there is now a strike, as well as directors and editors of all state media, who are all super Marcels now. Furthermore, the government coalition managed to solve the problems of protests by local communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding migrant centres there by opening the borders and inviting migrants to come to us.
Advisory referendums will be an upgrade from this. But they will be non-binding because you never know with the people. As already shown in the referendum on the majoritarian electoral system. Putin is even more aware of this, as he will surely win the elections amid the war he initiated with the attack on neighbouring Ukraine because there is simply no other option. However, it is not necessarily certain that he will win in Ukraine.
If the Macrons prevail and not marijuana.