Dimension: 1.9.1 Interaction with the electorate
This dimension concerns the interaction between MPs and the people they represent. The primary responsibility of an MP is to represent all constituents, including those who did not vote for them or did not vote at all.
This representative role concerns all MPs, regardless of differences in the political or electoral system. It applies equally to MPs in countries where there are no individual constituencies or where there are multi-member constituencies, as well as to MPs in upper chambers in bicameral or federal systems, who represent subnational territorial units. The number of constituents that an MP represents necessarily influences the way in which MPs carry out their representative role.
The parliamentary calendar should provide reasonable opportunities for MPs to interact with their constituents. This might mean, for example, that plenary sittings and committee meetings take place on certain days of the week, allowing MPs to meet with their electorate on other days.
It is also important for there to be a range of procedural opportunities for MPs to raise issues on behalf of the electorate, including in plenary debates and in committee. Such procedural opportunities include, for example, speaking in debates, asking written or oral questions, drafting laws, and requesting information from the executive. Issues raised by MPs should be given due consideration.
Parliament Parliament A national body of elected (or sometimes appointed) representatives that makes laws, debates issues and holds the government to account. ’s institutional capacities play a significant role in helping MPs fulfil their representative role. Parliaments may, for example, provide access to resources such as constituency offices, staff, travel allowances, constituency relations funds and other forms of support.
Some parliaments require MPs to report back to parliament and to the public about their constituency work.
Aspiring goal
Assess your parliament against this dimension
Assessment criteria
No 1: Legal framework
The legal framework clearly sets out the duties and expectations concerning the representative role of MPs.
No 2: Opportunities to raise issues in parliament
Parliament’s rules of procedure provide all MPs with reasonable opportunities to raise issues of concern to their constituents in parliament, including in debates and in committee and plenary work.
No 3: Parliamentary calendar
The organization of the parliamentary calendar facilitates the representative role of MPs. MPs have sufficient time available to interact with their electorate.
No 4: Resources
Parliament provides MPs with adequate resources to support engagement with their constituents. These resources are allocated in an equitable, non-partisan manner.
How to complete this assessment
This dimension is assessed against several criteria, each of which should be evaluated separately. For each criterion, select one of the six descriptive grades (Non-existent, Rudimentary, Basic, Good, Very good and Excellent) that corresponds best to your parliament, and provide details of the evidence on which the assessment is based.
The evidence for assessment of this dimension could include the following:
- Provisions of the legal framework and/or parliament’s rules of procedure establishing that representation is a core function of MPs
- Provisions of parliament’s rules of procedure providing all MPs with the opportunity to raise issues of concern to their constituents in parliament
- Provisions of parliament’s rules of procedure relating to the resources available to MPs to effectively perform their representative function
- Parliamentary records of debates in the plenary and committees
Where relevant, provide additional comments or examples that support the assessment.
Sources and further reading
Download this indicatorGet help with this assessment
The assessment of indicators involves diagnosing and considering strengths and weaknesses, i.e. the things parliament is doing well, and the things it could do better or more effectively, taking into account established good practices that are described in the indicators.
Read the assessment guidance to find out what to consider when conducting an assessment against the Indicators. Find out how to prepare, how to set the objectives of the assessment, how to organize the process, and more. Contact the project partners for expert advice.
URL copied to clipboard