Resignation as a conscious process

By Artan Nati

Oedipus was a prince for whom the Oracle had warned the prophecy that at a young age he would kill his father and then marry his mother. To avoid this fate, his parents abandoned him as a baby, but he was rescued and raised by another family. As an adult, Oedipus unwittingly fulfilled the prophecy by killing his father in the street and later married his mother, Queen Jocasta. When the truth was finally revealed, Jocasta killed herself and Oedipus was blinded by horror and shame. He was exiled from the kingdom and lived the rest of his life as a wandering beggar. This prophecy was based on divine knowledge to which the oracle had access and was believed to be infallible. Of course, this divine knowledge today is called subconscious or unconscious.

The Oedipus effect is, among other things, a psychological concept that refers to the tendency of people to unconsciously seek out and recreate patterns of behavior that reflect unresolved conflicts from their past. The story of Oedipus is often seen as a cautionary tale about the futility of trying to escape fate, as a result of ignoring our unconscious.

In general, the Oedipus effect in the context of the leadership of a political party emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and the potential dangers of being too focused on certain outcomes or on one's own personal interests. Effective leadership requires a balance between personal ambition and a commitment to serving the greater good.

The leaders of our state or political parties are the product of the national culture that is based on patriarchy and hierarchical society, where the authority of the head of the group, tribe or country is indisputable and if he is truly a man, he never retires, but dies as a martyr. If we were to ask the oracle today, it would surely answer that: the influence of an authoritarian leader on a political party can be negative, as it can lead to a decrease in party unity, loss of popularity and inability to adapt with the new circumstances. Doesn't this prophecy seem like the reality we live in Albania?

We often hear from DP sympathizers or even its members and ordinary people that the DP had no other alternative but to return to the head of the PD of Sali Berisha, as we tried the young people and failed completely. The facts show that they are right and it is difficult to prove otherwise. Just as Oedipus could not change his fate and finally blinded himself, because he was unable to see his end with open eyes, it seems as if it happened with DP as well.

I think that the DP is unable to see that these young people were not elected, but were appointed, and this is a consequence of the culture cultivated in the DP. Sali Berisha, being a strong leader and absolute authority in PD, has had great achievements for PD and himself, but in the meantime this typical Balkan and tribal culture has stifled the spirit of the party and has not allowed to have alternative thoughts and allow the flourishing of other alternatives, but to produce servile and mediocre people. We recall here the endless exceptions in PD and today we find PD with a leadership with names like Flamur Noka, Klevis Balliu, Edi Paloka, etc. who are below the average level of the population. The other reason, I think, is that PD has never questioned the leader's authority and never found fault with himself. but the others were enemies, making it possible for the Party to reduce its influence on the people. Even today, we often hear from DP sympathizers that those people are left-wing and the left has always undermined DP. Psychoanalyst Carl Jung has very beautifully expressed this syndrome that PD is experiencing and its leadership: "Until you become aware of the unconscious, it will rule your life and you will call it fate." So as long as we don't realize that our culture and experience rooted in our unconscious is our invisible compass, it will guide our whole life until the moment we get to know ourselves and start the change. This is exactly what happened to Oedipus, this is happening in DP and in all Albanian politics and this is happening to each of us. The same phenomenon is also observed in the SP and its leader Edi Rama. They are completely immersed in the mire of corruption and Rama's authority is indisputable. Rama blames the media for everything, calling it a cauldron, which he has at his service with few exceptions, not being aware of the authoritarian and corrupt culture in which the SP has immersed itself. Rama is a leader who is overly focused on his success and maintaining his power, making decisions that ultimately undermine his authority and is driving the SP into a criminal organization. If a government or its leaders are not held accountable for their actions, there is a greater risk of corruption. This can happen if there is a weak or non-existent legal system, or if there are loopholes that allow corruption to go unchecked.

It is also possible that the leader may choose to resign voluntarily, especially if they feel that they are no longer able to effectively lead the party or if they believe that their continued leadership is harming the party's chances of success. The German philosopher Frederik Nietzsche says "The snake that cannot shed its skin must die. As well as minds that are hindered from changing their thoughts; they cease to be minds.” PD is in this situation today, without changing its mentality, without changing its leadership, it wants to have the support of the people and win the elections. They must understand that without real change there is no continuity, but they will have the fate of Oedipus. Many of the European leaders resigned when they were in power because they understood that the country needed change. Such are Angela Merkel in 2018, she announced that she would retire as head of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) of Germany after 18 years in this role, although she was very successful. Also in April 2011, the Prime Minister of Spain, Zapatero, announced that he would not seek re-election in the next elections, which were scheduled for November of that year. He stated that he believed that it is time for new leadership to take the lead and for the party to be renewed. These leaders and many others realized that their time was over and paved the way for the new generation. It seems as if our leaders have decided that just like Oedipus they will lead the country to the abyss, they refuse to resign, they refuse to democratize the life of political parties, they have a compromise with each other to stay in power at the expense of the people, paving the way for the prophecy set by the people to end before SPAK. Albania has no time to wait, the international community cannot allow some corrupt people with a medieval mentality to hold the country hostage. Justice for politicians means that they are held accountable for their actions, subject to the same laws and regulations as any other citizen, and held to a high standard of ethical behavior given the impact that their decisions and actions may have. to have in society.