Parliamentary Representation: A Core Function

Professor Mark Baskin, SUNY/CID, University at AlbanyExecutive Training Program for Parliamentary Staff, 14‐19 April 2013

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?

Overview of Presentation

1. Parliaments in Society2. Classical Notions of Representation3. Citizens, Constituencies and Infrastructure of 

Outreach4. Stakeholders, Responsiveness, and Social 

Accountability 5. Case Study: Constituency Development Funds6. Role of Staff

EXECUTIVE

PARLIAMENT

SOCIETY

Parliaments in Society

EXECUTIVE

PAR

LIA

MEN

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SOCIETY

Parliaments in Society

Classical Notions of Representation1. 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 

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…

Infrastructure of Representation and Outreach1. 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

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 

Stakeholders in Representation1. Individual Citizens, Media2. MPs, Committees, Different Types of 

Caucuses, Staff3. Parties inside and Outside Parliament4. Interest Groups, Trade‐Associations, 

CSOs, Traditional Civil Society5. Parliamentary Monitoring Orgs –

Research, inform public, evaluate MPs 6. Supreme Audit Institutions, Ombudsman Offices, 

Anti‐Corruption Offices   

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

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?

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.

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

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.

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

Pace of Adoption of CDFs

23

6

19

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

1980 1990 2000 2010

Growth in the number of CDF countries

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

Sectoral Funding of CDF Projects: Kenya 

19

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%

Involvement of MP and Accountability

JamaicaIndiaBhutan

KenyaMalawi

Nigeria

Philippines

MalaysiaPakistanPNG

Solomon Islands

South Sudan

Tanzania

UgandaGhana

Zimbabwe

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

0 1 2 3 4 5 6

V1 ‐ V5: Accountability and MP Involvement

Accountability and MPInvolvement

Linear (Accountabilityand MP Involvement)

Accountability

MP Involvement

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

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 

External Accountability of Parliament?

Staff and Division of Labor in Representation1. 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

Conclusions on Representation1. Political Representation is a Complex and Multi‐

dimensional 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

Questions or Comments?

Parliamentary Representation: A Core Function

Professor Mark Baskin, SUNY/CID, University at AlbanyExecutive Training Program for Parliamentary Staff, 14‐19 April 2013