Legislative in North Korea: how to vote in a country without free elections

PYONGYANG.- The contest is high, very high. Mbadive Polling stations opened early in the morning and the
North Koreans have been asked to fulfill their duty to elect their parliamentarians. Although the act is a pure formality.

Millions of voters, including the chief

Kim Jong-un,

they must elect the 700 or so members who will constitute the next session of the National Assembly of

North Korea,

but the ceremony is more an act of support than a
contest because the ballot has only one candidate, sanctioned beforehand by the
state. The vote is not to elect but to approve or, at least in theory, to reject that candidate. But in practice, there is no known case.

How is the process going? The vote begins around 10 am, depending on the location of the polling place, and continues until late at night. Voters must present their identity card to officials so that they receive their ballot with the name of the sole candidate, which they deposit in a private booth. If they approve, leave the paper in the box and if they do not, they must scratch the name and drop it in the same box. The law sets the minimum age for voting in 17 years.

The elections, which are held every five years, will completely renew the Supreme People's Assembly, which, on paper, is the most important organ of power in North Korea. Its delegates come from all over the country and from all sectors of society. They are elected by the Korean Labor Party and two or three smaller coalition formations represented in the House.

In the absence of electoral competition, badysts believe that elections are a kind of rite allowing authorities to claim a popular mandate. According to what was published by the agency
Yonhap, "Pyongyang could use this political event to further strengthen national cohesion and help its people to support its leader, especially after the failure of the second summit between Kim and the US president,

Donald Trump,

held last week in Vietnam. "

As usual in the Soviet Union and other communist countries, participation is usually 99% or more. Voting is normally considered a duty and responsibility and staying at home is not an option.

The testimonials

"We consider the entire population of our country as one family, so we will unite in the same spirit and vote in favor of the approved candidate," said 57-year-old Song Yang Ran. , responsible for the Union of Trade Unions. Socialist women "Our system is the best," he added about elections in which there are several options to vote on. "We do not know anyone other than the supreme leader."

"I am very proud to vote for the first time," said Kim Ju-gyong, a 19-year-old college student. "I am happy to be a citizen and I want to do my best for the future of my country."

"Nobody votes against the candidate," said another voter, Jin Ki Chol, chairman of an election committee overseeing a polling station set up in a cable factory in central Pyongyang.

The elections are holidays in North Korea. Music groups play while voters queue and other groups dance for those who have already completed the process.

AP and AFP agencies