Antoni Gutiérrez-Rubí PARLIAMENTS ON THE NET X Senado Madrid, May 31 – June 1, 2012 OPPORTUNITIES FOR AN OPEN PARLIAMENT

Challenges from a communications perspective 4

The institutional “competence” A The active role that other parliaments will have in the configuration of new local services, transparency and accountability. Parliaments 2.0 as an unstoppable reality.

Political and institutional legitimacy deficit B In times of crisis, there is a permanent debate about the role of parliaments and its congressmen. Politicians as the third major problem in Spain.

politics politicians no ideology Political parties privileges Protest vote abstention Weariness Vote reputation

Costs and privileges C Questioning political representation, its privileges, as well as its operating costs

Change in relationships D Profound change in the relationships between representatives and the represented and the increase of “controlled policy” which in turn, will allow different initiatives 1. Monitoring 2. Control and supervision 3. Permanent information 4. Visualizations 5. Accountability platforms 6. Activism

Monitoring 1.

Visitor introduces postal code and is informed of whom are his/her representatives. He/She may write an or send a fax.

The postal code is introduced and the English Parliament representatives appear with detailed information on each other: laws they have voted for, what questions have they asked and on how many debates have they intervened.

It also works so that english politicans know: - that they are being observed - that what they say is commented - that often they are contacted directly because of something they have said in a debate, an assembly or parliament.

Thanks to very visual graphs, you can get to know all the activities of the European parliament, including the congressmen assistance.

Analysis on the Italian Parliament, specially measuring its members productivity based on their appearances and initiatives

Monitoring of the laws in the New Zeland Parliament. The public can review and see links news or blogs.

Basque parliamentary activity with the most recent initiatives, the most involved members, and it is labeled by theme

Control and Supervision 2.

Good examples of the administration

Permanent Information 3.

Visualization 4.

Propublica.org: Who’s Making Money From All This Campaign Spending?

Accountability Platforms 5.

Activism and Social pressure 6.

Opportunities E Ideas to change things

Opportunities Co-creation Apps Online petitions Public data Transparency Broadcast Network: Communication and interaction

Tucídides “Any power tends to go to the limit of its power. The time for vigilance has come”

Decalogue

Obligation to inform and be accountable every day (not every four years during elections) 1

Parliaments generate a lot of information. But it is not theirs, is the citizens’. It must be public 2

Citizens must be able to trace, track and measure parliamentary processes 3

The public should be involved and should be given tools to do so 4

The registration of activities, meetings and parliamentary requests must be open and accessible to everyone 5

Any citizen should be able to know the 6w’s: What? Who? Where? When? Why? How? 6

Any citizen should be able to access information 24 hours a day, any day of the year 7

Multi-platform and multi- format for all information 8

Parliamentary offices in the area and online. Parliamentary group, not of the party 9

Documentation Center for the Parliament or General Courts must be open 10

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