Of course, much of what I am raising reflects a hopeful analysis of the potential of ICTs for the work of Parliaments. We are still at a relatively early stage in their adoption, and a number of challenges must be overcome for ICTs to fully flourish as a tool for strengthening democracy. Investment in public [...]
Archive for the ‘Region’ Category
Donald Oliver: Speaker pro tempore, Senate, Canada
Posted in Americas, Democracy, Quotes on July 21, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Anouchka van Miltenburg: Vice-President of the House of Representatives, Netherlands
Posted in Democracy, Europe, Quotes on July 21, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Whereas more people than ever live in democracies, more people than ever are deeply disappointed by the problem-solving ability of democracy and politics. The gap between voters and their representatives is much smaller these days than a few decades ago, which is due to the media in particular. Yet, many of our citizens are turning away [...]
Video: Majalli Whbee, Deputy Speaker of the Knesset, Israel
Posted in Asia-Pacific, Video on July 21, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Interview in English
Video: Ali Larijani, Speaker of Parliament, Islamic Republic of Iran
Posted in Asia-Pacific, Video on July 21, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Interview in Farsi and French
Veronica Nataniel Macamo Dlhovo: Speaker of the Assembly, Mozambique
Posted in Africa, Democracy, Quotes on July 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Democratic accountability should be an antidote for the world crisis, for it promotes the construction of a more liberated society, where the human being is the epicenter of our attention and where all of us are called upon to reverse the crisis of values before the superiority of the economic and financial power.
Fehmida Mirza: Speaker of the National Assembly, Pakistan
Posted in Asia-Pacific, Quotes on July 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
The structure of the world economy has changed considerably since the Bretton Woods Conference [in 1944]. Today, the developing countries and economies in transition account for half of the world’s output. Yet these changes are not reflected in the decision-making structure of the financial institutions. The governance and legitimacy of their decisions have become questionable.
Fernando La Sama de Araújo: President of the National Assembly, Timor-Leste
Posted in Asia-Pacific, Quotes on July 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Today, the resources available to take poorer countries out of misery are more abundant than ever before. However, history shows that these resources have been more for the benefit of developed countries that managed to take advantage of the social and economic liberalization process. Timor-Leste is striving to put an end to this logic. We [...]
Max Vuyisile Sisulu: Speaker of the National Assembly, South Africa
Posted in Africa, Democracy, Quotes on July 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
The time for paying lip service to the need for global democratic accountability is past. Parliaments can no longer be mere chambers of debate and time worn speeches without bringing about change. We can not call for this change from the sidelines, but must take up the challenge and become activists for change within our [...]
Jorge Pizarro: President, Senate, Chile
Posted in Americas, Democracy, Quotes on July 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
In Latin America, authoritative polls show that only 48% of citizens believe that democracy is the best form of government. This phenomenon… is now reaching critical levels which political leaders need to confront. We need to ensure the legimitacy and representativity of parliaments, which are today called into question by restricted electoral systems and low [...]
Ene Ergma: Speaker, Riigikogu, Estonia
Posted in Democracy, Europe, Quotes on July 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Internet has given politicians a channel to transmit directly unmediated information. As a result, citizens have been given the opportunity to participate in different stages of the decision-shaping process, allowing influence on the outcome… Virtual politics and social communication are still insufficient to replace traditional communication based on face-to-face social networking. Despite fast development and [...]
Josep Dallères Codina: Speaker, General Council, Andorra
Posted in Europe, Quotes on July 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
The world is changing constantly. That institutions should fail to bear this in mind is unthinkable if they wish to continue be effective. That we be more or less favourable to this trend and although the role of national parliaments remains local, no one can deny the need, in particular for political leaders–and thus, for [...]
Video: Meira Kumar, Speaker, House of People, India
Posted in Asia-Pacific, Video on July 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Interview in English
Video: Abdelwahad Radi, Speaker, House of Representatives, Morocco
Posted in Africa, Arab States, Video on July 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Interview in French
Isaac Figir: Speaker, Congress, Federated States of Micronesia
Posted in Asia-Pacific, Quotes on July 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Most of you have probably never heard of Micronesia. We are however a thriving democracy, and proud of it… But we cannot do much in the long term if we cannot survive as a nation. We are threatened with sea-level rise as a result of climate change. We call upon all fellow parliaments around the world [...]
Marios Garoyian: President, House of Representatives, Cyprus
Posted in Europe, Quotes on July 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
The key question that arises involves the types and practices of democratic accountability that are appropriate on the world scale. Which entities should be held accountable and to whom? Contrary to popular belief, weak states and intergovernmental organizations are amongst the most accountable actors, whereas multinational corporations, terrorist networks and even powerful states are amongst [...]
Video: Carlos Navarrete, President of the Senate, Mexico
Posted in Americas, Video on July 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Interviewed in Spanish on 19 July 2010
Abdurahim Abdi: Speaker, East African Legislative Assembly
Posted in Africa, Quotes, United Nations on July 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
At the United Nations level, my view is that the relevant statutes need to be amended to give room for the participation of parliaments in decision making. For instance it can be made a requirement that every decision of the UN General Assembly or the UN Security Council is subjected to some form of a [...]
Elizabeth Renner: Speaker, National Assembly, Gambia
Posted in Africa, Democracy, Quotes on July 19, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
There is growing empirical evidence to suggest that there is positive correlation between the absence of a parliament, or a non-functioning or vibrant parliament, and failed states.
Nabih Berry: Speaker, National Assembly, Lebanon
Posted in Arab States, Democracy, Quotes, Women/Gender on July 19, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
The parliamentary role could also be strengthened through the promotion of the concept of democracy as a lifestyle and not merely a procedural process, through the promotion of education for democracy in every country… and by enabling women to participate fully in political, economic, social and cultural life.
Pavel Gantar: President, National Assembly, Slovenia
Posted in Europe, Quotes on July 19, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
We are faced with an energy crisis, an environmental crisis, the crisis of relations between the developed and less developed world, we bear witness to the crisis of the predominant economic and political system which solely builds upon the functioning of the capital market. This is a crisis which consequently leads to a crisis of [...]
