A look at West can help save Pakistan’s democracy. The similarity in political events in American presidential and British parliamentary systems offers a path to end political onslaught on our state, democratic institutions, and democracy while bringing culprits to book for permanent end to crooked politics. The Constitution provides the guardrails to protect our parliamentary system. It is now responsibility of our judges, civil-military establishments, and media to protect our democracy.
Our parliamentary system is under attack from presidential system of politics. PTI government adopted presidential system to circumvent democratic system of checks and balances. In America, more than 5000 people are replaced in government with change of president. PTI adopted similar practices resulting in further politicization of democratic institutions, entrenching corruption and undermining systems of checks and balances just like their previous political governments. American presidents are directly elected so they use election style rallies to stay connected with their voters. Senators and Congressional representatives are also elected directly and not accountable to each other. Instead, to run the country, they are accountable to system of checks and balances including judiciary, media, and freedom of speech. The presidents approve funding which is controlled by the lawmakers while they all serve their respective constituencies independently. Parliamentary system is different from the presidential system. The lawmakers choose PM who then is accountable to democratic system of checks and balances including the parliament. It shows logic of no confidence vote, a fixed term, opposition, and judicial oversight being superior with its powers of judicial review. There is no immunity for PM (& all other lawmakers). As citizen, PM is accountable to rule of law under one country one law including religion-based Constitution.
Like PTI, our past political governments have also resorted to undermining parliamentary system. After Charter of Democracy, they passed 18th Amendment to secure their governments without devolving power at grassroots (LGs). They want powerful PM whereas hung parliament allows all members to deliver across the country not just few constituencies which weakens democracy at grassroots. The demands of urban voters are going to be different from their rural counterparts.
Populism is part of American presidential system. As part of political strategy, presidents use anti-establishment policy to win elections. Jackson won America’s presidential election in 1828 on the slogan of draining cesspool of corruption in Washington which Trump also used successfully to enter White House in 2016. After coming to power, Trump gave mega tax cuts and added $9T to national debt in his four-year term. There are many lessons from UK which has majority government in power for last 12 years. British media is filled with reports of poor state of economy, money laundering, mass unemployment, failed democracy, foreign policy challenges, mega corruption (Covid £16bn, more than 90 MPs earning £4M annually in second jobs in part-time parliament 9 Nov 2021, the Guardian), rotten FPTP voting system (The Tories have warped an already crooked electoral system, pushing millions of voters off the roll 26 Sept 2023, the Guardian), policing (Scrapping the Met isn’t enough. There are radical – and proven – alternatives, 23 March 2023, the Guardian).
Politicians use populism to win power, stay in power and return. It has resulted in failed economies, mega unemployment, forever (trade) wars, mega corruption, astronomical rise in national debts. It is no coincidence that Boris Johnson prorogued parliament in Brexit standoff (Johnson’s suspension of parliament unlawful, supreme court rules 24 Sept 2019). American witnessed Jan 6 and Pakistan May 9. With $33T debt, America will be paying $1T in debt servicing by 2030. UK took £127bn debt for next 12 months with £2.4T national debt. As part of strategy, political parties in America are dragging courts in politics. Colorado Republican Party has asked the US Supreme Court to reinstate Trump on primary ballot. Trump confirmed more than 300 judges (Americans no longer have faith in the US supreme court. That has justices worried, 21 Oct 2021, the Guardian). Trump’s judges will call the shots for years to come. The judicial system is broken (25 Oct 2021, the Guardian).
There is democratic erosion in governing institutions in America through election manipulation and executive overreach. Since 2010, US states have passed laws to reduce voters’ access to the ballot, politicize election administration, and foreclose electoral competition via extreme gerrymandering. With a gridlocked, hyper-partisan Congress, impartial executive oversight is lacking, and judicial impartiality is in question (Understanding democratic decline in the United States, 19 Sept 2023, Brookings). It is equally true for country’s other state and democratic institutions (‘A Very Large Earthquake’: How Trump Could Decimate the Civil Service and create deep state 20 Dec 2023 Politico). GOP is placing foot soldiers, not just cabinet secretaries at levers of power for next ten years (The Brash Group of Young Conservatives Getting Ready for the Next Trump Administration, 3 Nov 2023, Politico). There are questions on elections being free and fair in America with no limit on party funding after 2010 US SC judgment (Citizen United v. FEC Wikipedia, 20 Jan 2012, the Guardian).
—The writer is senior political analyst, based in Islamabad.
Email: [email protected]
views expressed are writer’s own.
