OSCE calls for more professionalism in parliaments and political parties (12/17/06)

OSCE calls for more professionalism in parliaments and political parties

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

VIENNA - Lack of trust in politicians, the need for increased professionalism in the work of parliaments and political parties, responsibilities of the opposition and the increased participation of women were discussed at a meeting organized by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe to focus on democratic institution-building that ended in Vienna on November 3.

"There is no perfect democracy and democracy is by definition always unfinished business. But certain features of democracy such as representation of the public by elected officials are common to all democracies," said Ambassador Christian Strohal, director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, which organized the two-day meeting together with the OSCE Belgian Chairmanship.

Ivan Krastev, program director for political research at the Center for Liberal Strategies in Sofia, Bulgaria, and executive director of the International Commission on the Balkans, said that there was a crisis of political representation in many parts of the OSCE region, adding that the public, while believing in democracy, did not have trust in politicians.

Participants also discussed the need for political parties to increase their internal democracy to reach out to their rank and file members and to their constituencies. Alessandro Palanza, deputy secretary general of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, said the parliamentary opposition, while not governing, had a role in ensuring that Parliament functions smoothly in order to provide a platform to voice the views of those it represented.

British MP Bruce George, former president of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, focused on the lack of trust in and respect for politicians. "We must do more to establish and enhance representative legislatures. It is hard work and takes more than the work of a handful of consultants for a few days."

He also called for increased professionalism in the work of parliaments if they were to truly represent the electorate. "One of the few groups not requiring a degree or training before taking on the job are parliamentarians. They do learn quickly, but if they are to do their job well, they need a support structure."

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