Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.
The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures. (Article 21, Universal Declaration of Human Rights)
The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace, internationally focused with headquarters in Great Britain and the United States, reports that more than 2 billion people across 60+ countries will or have already voted in national elections in 2024, the largest global election year in history, during a time of increased polarization, misinformation, armed conflict, and climate crisis.
We join in prayer for a sample of our neighbors facing national elections in the next month:
June 28, Iran–Six candidates, mostly conservatives, have been approved by the Guardian Council from more than 80 hopefuls to run in an election to replace president Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a helicopter crash in May.
Our spiritual lives require deep re-examination and transformation; our outward actions must confront privilege and power in ourselves and in society. (Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace)
June 30-July 7, France–President Emmanuel Macron called snap parliamentary elections after his centrist list suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Marine Le Pen’s far right National Rally (RN) in the European parliamentary elections.
We value the mutuality that empowers people to share in decisions that affect their lives, and we work in a collaborative way to achieve this. (Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace)
July 4, Great Britain–At least 20 points behind in recent opinion polls, Conservative prime minister Rishi Sunak faces an uphill battle against Labour’s Keir Starmer.
Each meaningful economic decision made in one part of the world has repercussions everywhere else; consequently, no government can act without regard for shared responsibility. (Pope Francis)
July 15, Rwanda: No surprises are expected in presidential and legislative elections in a country where President Paul Kagame has ruled with an increasingly iron fist since coming to power in 1994, after the genocide.
Democracy requires participation and involvement on the part of all; consequently, it demands hard work and patience. It is complex, whereas authoritarianism is peremptory and populism’s easy answers appear attractive. (Pope Francis)
July 28, Venezuela–President Nicolás Maduro is standing for reelection, but opposition leader María Corina Machado has been barred from running for office for alleged corruption and for backing international sanctions against Caracas. After the supreme court upheld the decision, the opposition coalition registered Edmundo Gonzalez, a former ambassador, in her place.
Force was no longer to be the rule, except, indeed, the force of love. (M. F. Cusack)
Together, we pray the “Daily Election Prayer” (Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace):
God of peace, these times demand a change of heart: to be, think, and act differently.
Pour out your Spirit on your people as we prepare to vote in 2024 in unprecedented numbers across the globe.
May we strive to make peace a reality by becoming agents of reconciliation, transforming and transcending polarization, misinformation, and division during this election year.
Help us to recognize the reality of our interconnection and interdependence and to make decisions for the common good. Amen.
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