Wednesday 23 July 2008

Examples of political culture: Albania

Well, maybe we are a bit fastidious when it comes to political debates; we want technical details, intelligent and cryptic irony, polished rhetoric, and refined arguments.

But why not look to Albania?! During a taped parliamentary debate, the following incident happened:

After Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha announced that he wants to appoint the daughter of Albanian Republican Party leader Sabri Godo, Socialist deputy Taulant Balla said in a speech:
"Now that Godo's daughter ... has been appointed minister, the Prime Minister will have problems at home because his own daughter will ask to become a minister, or even a prime minister."
The Prime Minister's reaction who directly intervenes in Balla's speech is more than, well, unusual:

First:
"What will happen to you sister, a lowlife, a prostitute in motels will end."
[I only found this bad translation.]
And then screaming:
"You should know that I'll kill you! You won't make it alive into parliament again! I will kill you!"
[Source]

Such stories always remind me about the reason why I am such a big fan of Europe: It's cultural differences, stupid!

PS: Depending on your proficiency in Albanian, you can also watch the incident on Youtube.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maybe it's cultural differences, and maybe not. While what happened in Albania is unlikely to take place in a western European parliament, the subject of daughters, sisters and mothers when talked about by a male who is not an immediate relative is quite sensitive no matter the place in Europe one hears this. Recall Zidane's head-butt during the World Cup in 2006, when the Italian Materazzi insulted Zidane's sister and mother.

Some things are common to all, be they French or Albanian.

Julien Frisch said...

Well, maybe - even though I think that such reactions are still very much shaped through culture.

But that a Prime Minister shows such a reaction is still quite unusual, be it culturally influenced or not... :-)