[whimsicalism]

> The process of voting is legitimate.

What do you mean by this? If I (a dictator) were to hold an election but require 90% approval to unseat me, that would be a "legitimate" process because it includes voting?

Do you not understand what I am saying?

> What about protesting the system by not voting, does that do anything?

Arguably yes. Afghanistan's state legitimacy collapsed as basically fewer than 10% of people voted in any of it's elections and then the government fell.

[themitigating]

What event in Afghanistan are you referring to and can you prove it was because of a lack of legitimacy due to lack of voter participation?

[whimsicalism]

The fall of the government in Kabul. I'm not saying this is the single causal event, but lower than 10% voting definitely contributed to a lack of legitimacy of the central govt leading to its fall.

[themitigating]

Do you proof that it was a cause?

Counter is that participation in European country elections is also low, though probably higher than 10 percent, but that didn't cause them to fall

[whimsicalism]

Where in Europe is election participation even close to that low?