Here is a column that I would put in the category: I-feel-like-to-freak-out-no-I-hold-it-and-then-no-I-break-out-and-too-bad.
It seems like not a day goes by these days without a municipal official announcing that they are leaving.
That would be too hard, it seems.
Wait, I need an explanation.
- Listen to Joseph Facal’s column via QUB :
Seriously?
The last municipal elections in Quebec took place on November 7, 2021, less than three years ago.
At the time, many were delighted at the large number of women and young people elected.
Renewal, succession, more diverse profiles, blah blah blah.
Since then, there has been a cascade of voluntary departures, and we are not talking here about people who, with twenty years of politics under their belt, feel an understandable weariness.
We’re talking about newly elected people who are leaving for reasons that put me in a very, very bad mood.
Lots and lots of nastiness on social media against the mayor.
Hon! Are you discovering the phenomenon? Really? You didn’t use social networks before? You do not know?
What, were these people nice until you showed up?
You are criticized often and harshly.
What, you didn’t know that democratic life is based – this is its very essence – on the expression of disagreements?
The many activities in the evenings and weekends undermine your family life.
But you had children before politics. And you don’t even have a mandate behind you!
Some oddball has been attending every municipal council meeting for years, knows the regulations better than you, looks for lice on you.
Didn’t you know this is common? Didn’t you take the time to attend council meetings?
Municipalities have more responsibilities than before and have limited budgets because people don’t like tax increases.
You do not know? You hadn’t found out before?
In municipal politics, you are left more to your own devices, you do not have a paid entourage who supports you, as is the case for provincial and federal elected officials.
Don’t tell me you found out about it once you were elected?
You ran alone for town hall or for a council seat, and therefore, without a majority on the council, your projects will not move forward.
What, you hadn’t thought of that?
You are a woman. You find that there are still many sexist mentalities.
But why would the political environment be so different from others? Humans are the same there, right?
Ego
Could it be, dear former elected official, that you were simply not made for politics, a harsh world before you and which will remain harsh after you?
And could it be that, in this formidable succession, there are people who are too sensitive, more than before in any case, who should have thought more before diving in instead of listening to their ego?