Friday, June 05, 2009

Voting dilemma

In Europe, the voting for the EU parliament is currently going on, and in Denmark it happens on Sunday. At the same time, Danish voters are also asked to vote on a change of the constitution, which would change the rules regarding succession in the Royal family.

Currently the rules are that if the current monarch has one or more sons, the oldest son is the successor. In case there are no sons, the oldest daughter is the successor (in case there are no children, it gets more complicated).

The constitution change would result in men and women being treated equal, so it's always the eldest child, no matter their gender.

As a progressive, I have some serious problems deciding what to vote. Since I am very much for equal rights, I won't vote against, but I am debating whether I should vote at all. I regard the whole concept of royalty as outdated and abhorrent - the whole concept that someone gain privileges according to the law, solely because of their family ties, goes against everything I consider important. Voting yes to the constitution change could be seem to legitimize the whole system of royalty.

I know I am not alone in thinking this in Denmark, and many non-royalists are considering not voting, turning it into a referendum on royalty. If less than 40% of the eligible voters vote yes, the change will fail, regardless of the result.

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