PARLIAMENT AND DEMOCRACY - Inter-Parliamentary Union

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expressed, and through which popular self-government is realised in practice. As agents of the people, parliaments represent them in dealings with the other branches of government, and with various international and sub-national bodies. How well they fulfil this mediating role, and how representative of the people they are in all their diversity, is an important consideration for a democratic parliament. Another is how effectively they carry out their distinctive functions within the separation of powers. Experts may differ on their precise list of such functions, but there seems broad agreement that at least the following should be included in the tasks undertaken by and expected of all parliaments: ■ law making ■ approval of taxation and expenditure, generally in the context of the national budget ■ oversight of executive actions, policy and personnel ■ ratification of treaties and monitoring of treaty bodies ■ debating issues of national and international moment ■ hearing and redressing grievances ■ approving constitutional change In terms of these functions, parliament’s contribution to democracy lies in carrying out these functions effectively, not only in the sense of the efficient organisation of business, but of doing so in a way that serves the needs of all sections of society. Active civil society By ‘civil society’ here is meant not just non-governmental organisations (NGOs), but the body of active citizens, working together in many different ways to solve their common problems and to promote and defend their interests. Although they can only do this if they are independent of government, they need to engage continually with government on issues which affect them, and the interests of those whom they represent. The role of citizens in a democracy is not exhausted by the act of electing a government; they need to be continually engaged with it if it is to remain in touch with the people and their needs. A democratic parliament for its part will seek to foster a vibrant civil society and to work closely with it in finding solutions to problems facing the country, and in improving the quality and relevance of legislation. Introduction I 5
6 I PARLIAMENT AND DEMOCRACY IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY Political parties Of the mediating institutions between government and society, political parties are of particular significance for parliament. Parliament not only represents citizens as individuals; through the presence of political parties it also represents them collectively to promote certain broad policy tendencies. Parties serve both to focus electoral choice, and also to ensure that these choices are carried through into the work of parliament and into ongoing public debate. Although political parties are currently not held in high regard by the public at large, they are nevertheless indispensable to the working of a democratic parliament. Operating as they do in both the spheres of government and civil society, they serve as an essential bridge between the two. The communication media The second bridging institution which has a key importance for parliament and its work are the communication media. The media constitute the key means for informing citizens about public affairs, and a key channel of communication between parliament and public. In their investigative role, the media have always been seen as a ‘watchdog’ against all kinds of abuse. How well they fulfil these functions is vital for the quality of democratic life. Given the tendency for these functions to become distorted, whether by executive partiality in a government-controlled system, or by powerful economic interests in a commercialised one, parliament has a key democratic role in setting an appropriate legal framework for the media, to ensure both their independence and their diversity. Parliament thus makes a vital contribution to democracy at many levels simultaneously. Within the institutions of government it is the representative body through which the will of the people finds expression, in which their diversity is manifested, and in which the differences between them are debated and negotiated. At its best, parliament embodies the distinctive democratic attributes of discussion and compromise, as the means through which a public interest is realised that is more than the sum of individual or sectional interests. Moreover, the effectiveness with which parliament carries out its central functions of legislation, budgetary control and oversight of the executive is essential to the quality of democratic life. In carrying out these tasks it works together with the associations of civil society, and has the distinctive responsibility of safeguarding the individual democratic rights of citizens. It can only do all this, finally, if it itself observes democratic norms, by showing itself open, accessible and accountable to the electorate in its own mode of operation.
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■ collaborating with NGOs in loca
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■ a public record available on li
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case in Switzerland, the country wi
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An effective parliament (I): The na
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that the Senate, the House of Commo
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consideration of a bill more effect
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National Assembly is currently in t
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Oversight through parliamentary que
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A case-study of oversight: security
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Anti-terrorist legislation An effec
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An effective parliament (II): Parli
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Japan’s ODA is effectively reachi
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8. Facing the future Facing the fut
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Figure 8.1: Sources of Parliamentar
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Facing the future I 187 State: give
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and also to allow for increased par
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strengthening of both legislative a
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As regards the practicability and c
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3. Technology assessment. This has
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Australia Austria Belarus Belgium B
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Organization’s programmes aimed a
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MS. MARTA LAGOS CRUZ-COKE Executive
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MS. DULCE MARIA SAURI RIANCHO Membe
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Commonwealth Parliamentary Associat
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Non-governmental organisations Cent
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Index Note: Page numbers in bold in
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types of, 8, 15-17, 69 voter partic
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Myanmar, 176 Namibia, 77, 110 Natio
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Sweden, 63, 75, 110, 112, 165 gende
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