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  International Day of Democracy 2011
  What do citizens expect from their parliament?

 

EVER GROWING EXPECTATIONS

Worldwide, it appears that parliamentarians are struggling to meet the ever growing expectations of citizens. Data suggests that citizens hold parliamentarians to account principally for the services that they are able to deliver outside parliament, not for their law-making role or their ability to oversee the Executive.

"Constituency service" is the general term for what parliamentarians do to serve and represent the interests of their constituents. Constituency service exists in many different forms, both in constituency-based electoral systems and also in list-based systems. Discussions with parliamentarians show the extent to which their capacity to deliver is being stretched to the limit, and might be taking them away from their parliamentary duties.

The forthcoming Global Parliamentary Report, which has surveyed over 600 parliamentarians, suggests that working on citizens' issues is the single most time-consuming aspect of a parliamentarian's work.

How many hours per week do you spend working with citizens? Over 50 per cent of parliamentarians spend more than 20 hours per week working with citizens.

IS CONSTITUENCY SERVICE THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF A PARLIAMENTARIANS' ROLE?

It is clear that constituency service is important both to citizens and politicians – indeed; it is an accepted and expected part of the job. Numerous opinion polls in different regions suggest that the public believes that some form or the other of constituency service is the most important part of an MP's role, while MPs themselves no doubt see the benefit of meeting voters' needs for various reasons, not least to improve their chances of re-election.

A survey conducted for the Global Parliamentary Report indicated that parliamentarians consider law-making to be their most important role (52.3% of respondents), followed by holding government to account (17.2%) and solving constituents' problems (12.5%). When asked what they think citizens see as their most important role, however, the story is very different. Parliamentarians believe that, in the eyes of the citizen, solving citizens' problems is the parliamentarian's most important role (36.4%), followed by law-making (20.3%), holding government to account (16.2%) and promoting the interests and economy of their constituency (13.1%).

Which is the most important role of parliamentarians? Parliamentarians see law-making as their most important role. However, they believe that citizens consider solving constituents' problems the most important.

IN PARLIAMENTARIANS' OWN WORDS

• "What do voters want? ... roads, bridges, schools, etc. Assistance with education and tuition fees and other social obligations. "What does it take to get elected?"... money, feasts, family ties, popularity ..." What does it take to get re-elected? "... delivery of promised goods and services ... tangible projects ... some more money and feasts."
  First-term MP, Papua New Guinea
• "While we talk at the beginning of our term about electoral promises, it is difficult to meet expectations – they are ever increasing. The task becomes more difficult as time goes on. Expectations increase and communication moves fast. As citizens get more involved, they become more demanding."
  Veteran MP, Algeria
• "An honest parliament that legislates with integrity and serves the people."
  Veteran MP, Colombia
• "It's about face time. Voters are not difficult people. If you promise it, do it! [Citizens] like when MPs go to their constituency to see their faces. MPs should always be with constituents, live in the constituency and be part and parcel of them. Whatever you do matters in elections. You can bring development but if they don't see you, then electors will not remember."
  First-term MP, Malawi
• "We must show voters that we're normal people. We are not corrupt or criminals. It is a job like any other. You must take the time to speak with them and listen to them, in the market, on the street. That is how you will convince them."
  Veteran MP, Croatia

International Day of Democracy: What do citizens expect from their parliament? The International Day of Democracy provides an opportunity for parliaments and citizens to engage in a fresh dialogue about people's expectations of their government, the role of parliament and how to strengthen democracy. Some key questions include: Why is constituency work growing? How is it changing? What does this mean for parliamentary representation? How have parliaments and parliamentarians responded to this change? How can constituency service be linked to the work of parliament as a whole?