Parliamentary Representation: A Core Function

Transcription

1 Parliamentary Representation: A Core Function Professor Mark Baskin, SUNY/CID, University at Albany Executive Training Program for Parliamentary Staff, April 2013

2 Opening Questions 1. How Can Representation Contribute to Government Legitimacy? 2. Constituency Service vs. Representation? 3. What role do staff play in Representation and Constituency Service?

3 Overview of Presentation 1. Parliaments in Society 2. Classical Notions of Representation 3. Citizens, Constituencies and Infrastructure of Outreach 4. Stakeholders, Responsiveness, and Social Accountability 5. Case Study: Constituency Development Funds 6. Role of Staff

4 Parliaments in Society EXECUTIVE PARLIAMENT SOCIETY

5 Parliaments in Society EXECUTIVE PARLIAMENT SOCIETY

6 Classical Notions of Representation 1. Parliament as Policy Making Institution 2. A Representation of all Society? Geographic, Ethnic, Class, Business Interests, Ideological 3. Delegates: MPs Express Views of Constituency 4. Trustees: MPs develop own views of constituency interests, national interests 5. Responsible Party System: parties have clear positions, are responsible to voters, present party programs in policy making

7 Citizens, Constituencies, Participation, 1. Symbols, Interests, Ideology, Advocacy, and Parties 2. Are some constituents more important? 3. People or Organizations: Citizens, Minorities, Trade Unions, Businesses, Interest Groups, Professional Associations, CSOs, External/Expatriate Voters 4. Ties that Bind? SMD vs. Multi Member Districts 5. Presidential vs. Parliamentary Systems 6. New forms of Direct Democracy referenda, budgeting

8 Infrastructure of Representation and Outreach 1. Parliamentary Media: Television, Radio, Publications, Web sites, Face book, Twitter 2. Home Style: Visitors Centers, Youth Programs, Public Meetings, Constituent Visits, Constituent Offices 3. Expenses of Maintaining Contact with Citizens Travel, Time, Info 4. Transparency and Openness enhances representation

9 Representation as Constituency Service Constituency Service is more significant in systems with single member districts, those dominated by executives, weak parties or systems with contested seats. African Legislatures Project: Citizens & MPs stress representation and constituency service ahead of legislation and oversight MPs under pressure to perform these services Citizens want MPs to listen to needs and MPs make real efforts to visit constituencies, but do not meet citizens expectations

10 Stakeholders in Representation 1. Individual Citizens, Media 2. MPs, Committees, Different Types of Caucuses, Staff 3. Parties inside and Outside Parliament 4. Interest Groups, Trade Associations, CSOs, Traditional Civil Society 5. Parliamentary Monitoring Orgs Research, inform public, evaluate MPs 6. Supreme Audit Institutions, Ombudsman Offices, Anti Corruption Offices

11 Representation as Responsiveness & Social Accountability/Oversight of Government 1. Declining Trust in Government Internationally: Low esteem for Parliaments; High Esteem for Own Member of Parliament 2. Representation as Making Citizens Voice Heard, Giving Citizens Access to Government 3. Tools for Enhancing Accountability: Participatory Budgeting, Independent Budget Analysis, Expenditure Tracking, Participatory Performance Monitoring, Transparency Portals, Citizens Charters, Parliamentary Scorecards 4. Transparency and Openness in Budgeting: Effective Participation in Budgeting Establishes Checks and Balances for Good Service Delivery and Accountable Government

12 Broader Questions: Democracy vs. Technocracy? What is the central value informing development: stability, efficiency or democracy? What is the ideal mix of representation of constituencies and service to constituencies? How to strengthen constituency-based, democratic politics, participation, representation? The Dual Nature of Accountability: Who controls the agenda of development: Donors or Hosts?

13 Case in Representation: Emergence of Constituency Development Funds Constituency Development Funds (CDFs) are a policy tool that dedicates public money to benefit specific political subdivisions through allocations and/or spending decisions influenced by their representatives in the national parliament. Distributive Policy Making: CDFs fit into a class of decisions about resource allocations that are made with minimal conflict and in which a super majority of stakeholders share in expenditure or allocation of funds in projects that are local and varied in size, scope and amount, and that are developed independently of one another.

14 Cross National Variation in CDF Practice Universal Demand for Constituency Service Unique Political Context in each Government Names and Purpose of Fund Source and Amount of Funding Mode of Project Selection and Role of MP Degree of Institutionalization Pattern of Project Implementation Type of Oversight

15 Image I: CDFs as a Development Tool CDFs foster community driven development and participatory budgeting CDFs strengthen national local linkages CDFs do what the ministries and local governments have failed to do: schools, clinics, community centers, small infrastructure CDFs build cooperation among different levels of government Constituency service and pork: weddings, funerals, etc.

16 Image II: CDFs as Bad Governance Source of Clientelism and Corruption Violation of principle of separation of powers Unconstitutional for MPs to be involved in execution/implementation of policy Detracts from oversight powers of parliament Absence of transparency Inefficient and bad government

17 Pace of Adoption of CDFs Growth in the number of CDF countries

18 Average Amount Allocated per MP Average Amount Allocated per MP (USD) Philippines $4,270,001 Bhutan $ 43,000 Solomon Islands $ 140,000 Kenya $ 794,464 Malaysia $ 577,951 Jamaica $ 456,361 India $ 420,790 Sudan $ 317,543 Pakistan $ 240,000 Malawi $ 21,352 Tanzania $ 13,761 Uganda $ 5,187

19 Sectoral Funding of CDF Projects: Kenya Education Sector 33.9% Others (M&E, Emergency, Environment, Recurrent, Sports, etc) 24.3% Education (Bursary) 12.3% Water Sector 11.5% Health Sector 6.5% Roads & Bridges 6.2% Security Sector 4.0% Agriculture Sector 1.3% 19

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21 Involvement of MP and Accountability 2.5 V1 V5: Accountability and MP Involvement 2 Malaysia Pakistan PNG Solomon Islands Nigeria Uganda Ghana 1.5 MP Involvement 1 Philippines Tanzania Zimbabwe South Sudan Accountability and MP Involvement Linear (Accountability and MP Involvement) 0.5 Malawi Kenya Jamaica India Bhutan Accountability

22 Practice: Commonwealth Parliamentary Association s Principles of CDF Operations At CPA workshop in Jamaica in June 2011: Responsiveness to development needs Transparency of information on CDFs Administration and Management: good governance principles as from World Bank Accountability and Oversight: external oversight builds perception of legitimacy Monitoring and Evaluation: by implementers

23 Practice: A Tool Box for Participatory CDFs Sourcing and Financing of CDFs Rules and Procedures of CDF Operations Public Participation in CDF Operations Procurement, Tendering and Contracting Implementation and Operations Impact Assessment, Monitoring and Evaluation

24 External Accountability of Parliament?

25 Staff and Division of Labor in Representation 1. Political vs. Technical Staff: Division of Labor 2. Policy Communities of Key Stakeholders in Executive, Legislative, Civil Sector Common Definitions of Issues under the radar 3. Research and Information to MPs and Committees in Legislation and Oversight 4. Logistics and Assistance in Offices, Visits, Public Meetings, Hearings, Questions, Interpellation, Debate, Correspondence

26 Conclusions on Representation 1. Political Representation is a Complex and Multidimensional Concept: Policy, Services, Advocacy, Accountability 2. Multiple Internal and External Constituencies 3. Burgeoning Digital and Operational Tools of Representation to a New Division of Labor? 4. Focus on Giving Voice to Peoples Needs/Demands 5. Staff are Central in Support to Representation

27 Questions or Comments?

28 Parliamentary Representation: A Core Function Professor Mark Baskin, SUNY/CID, University at Albany Executive Training Program for Parliamentary Staff, April 2013