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Mandates and swings

People in democracies need a sense of uncertainty in order to be convinced that their voice and their vote matter

Madhya pradesh election, voting, election news
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Voters show their identification cards as they wait in a queue at a polling station to cast their votes for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections (File Photo: PTI)

Mihir S Sharma
Much has already been written about how 2024 is the year of elections. Four of the five largest countries in the world —India, the United States, Indonesia, and Pakistan — will hold or have held elections. The second-largest democratic election in the world, to the European Parliament, is also due to take place. And there are yet more high-profile and highly visible elections in large or influential countries — including Mexico, Russia, and the United Kingdom.

More than anything else, this is a reminder that “democracy” as a term conceals more than it reveals. These are all incredibly different elections. Some,
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