The overarching argument of this paper is that parliamentary digital transformation is a relatively underfunded area of work, but a vitally important one in achieving the very common overarching goals of open, accountable, inclusive and participative government. Improvements in how parliamentary digital capacity building can be done better are possible with better strategy, funding and cooperation, and when parliaments are enthusiastic and willing to take the opportunities offered to them to improve themselves.
Now more than ever, digital transformation has become essential for parliaments. Such transformation can have a significant impact in making parliaments more transparent and accountable and can enable them to leverage greater public interest and engagement in the legislative and electoral processes.
Good external digital engagement requires parliaments to review their own internal digital structures, assess where development and investment are needed, and how digital improvement will assist in achieving their goals. Differential priorities in the needs of the parliament or societal actors can form a guide, according to which specific areas for digital development might be prioritised. These steps require long-term investment, which should go in parallel with the digital transformation of the Executive. However, because a country’s digital transformation is primarily the preserve of the Executive, it can bypass the legislature and may be almost disproportionately influenced by the ruling party. Uneven digital transformation between public bodies and the legislature may weaken the profile and legitimacy of the legislature itself. Furthermore, governments that effectively restrict digital development within the legislature are essentially restricting democratic integrity.
Besides the long-term process of building and developing infrastructure, short-term pilot projects can be useful to test approaches and begin building the digital infrastructure of the future. Properly targeted funding, to achieve specified digital transformation goals, agreed in collaboration with the development agencies operating in target areas, can yield significant dividends in improving the digital democracy ecosystem. This approach can neutralise harmful, short-termist and wasteful approaches to digital deficiency, and remove the ability of the more unscrupulous parliaments to play development agencies off against each other to leverage greater rewards or resources.
Digital transformation of parliaments requires better strategy, funding and cooperation on the part of donors and implementers as parliaments are enthusiastic and willing to take the opportunities offered by digitalisation.
Header photo: Jessica Taylor / UK Parliament
What's it all about?
Report authors Julia Keutgen and Rebecca Rumbol discuss their report and its key arguments
This policy paper looks at how the role of parliaments in enhancing climate and environmental outcomes may be influenced by a range of factors that may either stall or halt the imperative for legislative review and adaptation. Nationally, the drive to pass legislation and more specifically, climate change legislation, is often driven by political will rooted in factors ranging from election cycles, the levels of democracy, and a country’s economic priorities.
The outcomes of the IPU meeting at COP28 encouraged parliaments to “establish mechanisms for continuous, forward-looking and evidence-informed monitoring and reporting on the progress of climate-related legislation and policies, ensuring transparency and accountability in the implementation of climate commitments”. Relatedly, in the pursuit of global climate goals, there is a need to avoid a narrow focus on international treaties as the sole solution. Rather, a programme of global collective action that includes a review of domestic laws to pursue climate goals should be embraced.
This policy paper makes recommendations to this end.
These AI guidelines for parliaments not only promote responsible AI use but also empower parliaments to mitigate the risks of AI whilst leveraging AI’s potential to strengthen their functions and serve citizens better. They were developed by a technical working group of 22 expert parliamentary scholars and professionals from 16 countries.
Part 1 of the document - the introduction to the guidelines - describes AI and generative AI, and outlines why we need guidelines, the challenges of using AI in a parliamentary setting, and how AI could be used in parliaments.
Part 2 of the document contains the guidelines. Following a summary, the detailed guidelines are organised into six sections, covering a range of critical issues:
• ethical principles
• artificial general intelligence (AGI)
• privacy
• governance
• system design
• capacity building
Each of the 40 guidelines is presented in a structured format, aiming to address three main questions:
• Why does this guideline matter?
• Are there known examples of its implementation?
• How can this guideline be implemented?
Brief further considerations and recommendations are also included in each guideline.
Part 3 briefly outlines a way forward in the development of guidelines for AI in parliaments.
Part 4 contains a list of abbreviations, a glossary, and the bibliography.
Governments are the sole parties that negotiate with the International Monetary Fund, which provides financial assistance to countries in or at high risk of debt distress. Because of this, unpopular deals often lack legitimacy in the eyes of citizens.
But, active and inclusive civil society oversight can significantly enhance the legitimacy, transparency, and effectiveness of IMF programmes.
This not only guards against the disenfranchisement of the populace but also ensures that the burdens and benefits of economic adjustments are equitably shared.
This paper examines case studies from Kenya, Sri Lanka, and the Caribbean. The experiences from the Caribbean, where governments have been willing to formally incorporate CSO input into IMF programme creation and evaluation, demonstrate the positive impact of formal CSO representatives in oversight mechanisms, leading to increased public trust and consistent adherence to fiscal discipline. Conversely, the experience from Kenya and Sri Lanka, where CSO engagement was blocked, highlight the challenges faced by CSOs when excluded from meaningful participation in the negotiation and implementation of IMF agreements.
The cases discussed signal a clear imperative for a structured collaboration between governments, international financial institutions, and civil society. Such collaborations ensure that economic reforms are not only technically sound but also democratically legitimised and aligned with the social and economic realities of the country.
In March 2024, Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), as part of the Democracy Works' project supported by the British Embassy in Skopje, hosted two impactful events focusing on youth and their crucial role in shaping policies. Both youth organisations and political party youth branches engaged in discussions concerning key policy areas affecting youth.
The first event, 'Roadmap for Young People,' featured presentations from various youth organisations highlighting their recommendations across key policy areas such as youth standards, education quality, equal opportunities, and youth participation.
Representatives from organisations like the Association for Research and Analysis (ZMAI), Youth Can, Youth Education Forum, Forum for Educational Change (FECH), Union for Youth Work, Youth Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing 'Young Sign,' National Youth Council of Macedonia, and Coalition of Youth Organizations NOW, among others, shared their perspectives on critical areas for policy intervention.
Subsequently, on 7 March 2024, representatives from 11 political party youth branches gathered for a public debate focusing on youth policies and demographic trends. This dialogue allowed political youth representatives to express their views and proposed actions aimed at improving the lives of young people. The engagement of youth representatives and organisations enriched the discussions, reflecting a collective effort towards addressing the priorities identified by youth.
The brief from the dialogues between youth organizations and political party youth branches summarize the key recommendations and insights shared during these events, emphasising the imperative for institutions to collaborate and prioritise initiatives that enhance the wellbeing and opportunities of young citizens in the country.
While not exhaustive, this summary represents the voices of youth organisations and political youth representatives, highlighting their identified priorities for the betterment of youth at the onset of 2024.