There is a growing realization of the critical role played by political parties in democracy building and in the sustainability of democratic institutions.
A country’s democratic sustainability is often linked to the state of its political parties and its political actors. The quality and capacity of political parties has a direct impact on parliamentary performance and organization affecting among other things the legislative capacity of members elected, the promotion of equal participation and representation of women in politics and the representatives with political positions in the parliamentary structures.
Agora: Web Portal on Parliamentary Development
International IDEA has been involved in the development of a multilateral knowledge initiative on parliamentary development since 2009. The aim of this initiative is to develop a knowledge portal, the Agora, which will provide a stand-alone reference website on parliamentary development.
The Agora portal will connect the global parliamentary development community of practice and will promote parliamentary institutions as potential drivers of development policy change. The portal will be a tool for parliaments, parliamentarians, donors, practitioners, academics, civil society organizations, media and other actors within the parliamentary development area.
International IDEA has actively been supporting the development of the portal throughout its preparatory phase providing expertise, materials and as members of the initiatives joint task force. The official launch of the Portal took place at the French National Assembly in Paris on the 2nd of March 2010. The launch marks the start of the first global platform dedicated to parliamentary development. AGORA will act as a virtual meeting point for the exchange of knowledge and know-how on parliamentary development.
Study on Strategies and Methodologies for EC Actions in Support to Parliaments
International IDEA has been contracted by the European Commission to conduct a study on European Commission support for parliamentary development in the ACP region (sub-Saharan Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific islands). The project started in February 2009 and continues until September 2010. The European Union is committed to supporting the democratization process in the ACP. One of the key areas of support is through strengthening of the institutional, organizational and technical capacities of parliaments, as well as their ability to interact with civil society and the media.
The study will be forward-looking and is designed to help focus and strengthen the European Commission’s work in parliamentary development. The study will include the following major elements:
- Document and analyse the parliamentary development activities of the Commission and other main development actors since 2000, particularly focusing on best practices.
- Produce a practical guide and complementary training module on parliamentary support for Commission officials in the field, which will help officials to analyse parliament’s capacity and performance and identify best approaches to designing, implementing and evaluating support.
Integrating support for Political Parties and Parliaments
International IDEA is exploring the linkages between political parties and parliamentary support. Although the two areas of work are closely interlinked and often overlap, they are often regarded as two separate disciplines.
In order to improve the effectiveness of support for parties and parliaments, such assistance needs to be integrated at both a strategic and at a practical level. International IDEA has therefore commissioned research to identify the factors likely to prevent or promote greater integration and to make recommendations that would improve co-ordination, alignment and impact.
