DHAKA: Elections are meant to be the heartbeat of democracy. They are supposed to offer citizens a real choice, a moment when power temporarily shifts from rulers to the people. On election day, a voter should feel that their decision matters. Their vote should influence who governs, how policies are made, and which direction a nation takes.
Yet, across many countries today, a troubling question is being asked with growing urgency: are elections still about choice, or have they become mere rituals?
Ballots are cast. Polling stations open. Officials announce results. International observers issue statements. On paper, democracy functions. But for many citizens, the outcome feels predetermined. The faces in power remain the same. The policies barely change. Dissent feels cosmetic. Participation feels symbolic.
This gap between democratic form and democratic substance is widening. And it deserves serious attention.
The Ritualization of Voting
A ritual is an action performed regularly, often with symbolic meaning, but without changing reality. In many modern political systems, elections increasingly resemble this definition.
People vote because they are expected to. Governments organize elections because constitutions demand it. Political parties campaign because it is part of the cycle. But the deeper purpose of elections, genuine competition and accountability, often fades into the background.
In some countries, voters know in advance who will win. In others, the choice exists, but it is between similar elites offering similar policies. The ballot becomes less a tool of power and more a gesture of compliance.
This ritualization does not always come from outright authoritarianism. It can also emerge quietly within formally democratic systems.
When Choice Is Limited
True choice requires alternatives. But in many elections today, alternatives are either weak, suppressed, or indistinguishable.
Opposition parties may exist but face structural disadvantages. Media access is unequal. Campaign financing favors incumbents. Legal pressure discourages strong challengers. In some cases, opposition leaders are discredited, harassed, or excluded altogether.
Even in liberal democracies, voters often face a narrower spectrum of options than they expect. Major parties converge around similar economic models, foreign policies, and power structures. Differences become matters of tone rather than substance.
When voters feel that no option truly represents their interests or values, participation loses meaning. Voting becomes an act of duty, not hope.
The Role of State Power
One major reason elections turn into rituals is the imbalance of power between the state and political competitors.
Incumbent governments often control key institutions. These include election commissions, law enforcement agencies, public media, and sometimes the judiciary. Even subtle influence can tilt the playing field.
When state resources are used for campaigning, or when public services are politicized, elections stop being fair contests. They become managed performances.
Citizens may still vote freely in theory, but the environment around their choice is shaped in advance. Freedom without fairness is not democracy. It is theater.
Voter Fatigue and Disillusionment
Another factor is public exhaustion.
In many societies, voters feel repeatedly disappointed. They vote for change, but see little improvement in their daily lives. Promises remain unfulfilled. Corruption scandals repeat. Inequality deepens.
Over time, this creates disillusionment. People stop believing that elections can deliver real change. Turnout declines, or participation becomes mechanical.
Some still vote, but without expectation. Others withdraw entirely. Democracy weakens not because people reject it, but because they no longer trust it.
This emotional withdrawal is dangerous. It creates space for authoritarian narratives that claim strong leadership is better than democratic uncertainty.
Elections Without Accountability
Elections are not only about choosing leaders. They are also about holding them accountable.
When leaders know they can win regardless of performance, accountability disappears. Elections then reward power, not service.
In such systems, governance becomes arrogant. Mistakes go unpunished. Public opinion is ignored. Institutions bend to protect those in charge.
Over time, citizens notice this pattern. They realize that voting does not correct failure. It only renews it. That realization turns elections into empty rituals.
Media, Messaging, and Manipulation
Modern elections are also shaped by media control and information warfare.
State-friendly media narratives dominate. Critical voices are marginalized. Social media is flooded with propaganda, misinformation, and emotional manipulation.
Instead of informed debate, voters are offered fear, nationalism, or personality cults. Elections become contests of narrative control, not policy vision.
When information is distorted, choice becomes illusionary. People may choose, but based on manufactured realities.
A ritual thrives on repetition, not reflection. Manipulated elections thrive on noise, not truth.
The Global Pattern
This problem is not confined to one region.
In parts of Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Latin America, elections are held regularly but rarely alter power structures. In some Western democracies, voter polarization and elite dominance hollow out meaningful choice.
The global trend is clear: democracy is under pressure not only from coups or dictators, but from slow erosion.
Elections continue. Democracy appears alive. But its spirit weakens.
This makes the problem harder to confront. Ritualized elections wear the mask of legitimacy.
Bangladesh and the Regional Context
In South Asia, including Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, elections are deeply emotional events. They carry historical weight and mass participation.
Yet questions persist about fairness, inclusiveness, and competitiveness. Boycotts, allegations of manipulation, and contested mandates are frequent.
When large sections of society doubt election credibility, the ritual problem deepens. Democracy becomes procedural rather than participatory.
For a region shaped by anti-colonial struggles and popular movements, this is a painful contradiction.
Why Ritual Elections Are Dangerous
Ritualized elections are not harmless.
They weaken trust in institutions. They normalize exclusion. They reduce citizenship to compliance. Over time, they teach people that power does not listen.
This creates fertile ground for instability. When peaceful democratic channels feel blocked, frustration seeks other outlets. Protests, unrest, or radicalization can follow.
Ironically, elections meant to stabilize society can contribute to long-term instability if they lose credibility.
Restoring Meaning to Elections
The solution is not to abandon elections. It is to restore their meaning.
This requires genuine competition. Independent institutions. Free media. Equal campaigning conditions. Transparent vote counting. And above all, political will.
It also requires political parties to reconnect with citizens. To offer real ideas. To accept loss. To respect dissent.
Citizens, too, have a role. Democracy cannot survive on voting alone. Civic engagement, questioning power, and defending rights between elections matter.
Elections must be moments of decision, not decoration.
Elections are not sacred by nature. They become sacred only when they reflect the will of the people.
When voting turns into habit without hope, democracy loses its soul. A ballot without choice is not empowerment. It is performance.
The question is no longer whether elections are held, but whether they matter.
If societies allow elections to become rituals, they should not be surprised when citizens stop believing in democracy itself.
The challenge of our time is not just to protect elections, but to protect choice.
