The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

Smile, You Are Being Recorded

In an op-ed for the Ukrainian news magazine Focus, Kristina Wilfore, NDI’s resident director for Ukraine, addresses the issue of the 70,000 cameras that have been installed in polling stations across the country to broadcast voting live during the upcoming parliamentary elections on Oct. 28. Rather than reassuring voters of the election’s transparency, some voters in rural areas have expressed fear that the cameras will instead reveal how they voted, especially after the authorization was passed without consulting political parties or civic groups.

Wilfore expresses concerns about cameras being turned off immediately after voting has ended, and argues that the cameras should remain on for the vote count to increase transparency. “It should be understood that, if cameras are used on election day, they need to complement, not substitute for systematic citizen observation.” Wilfore argues that everyone should have access to the election-day footage, and a concerted effort needs to be made by election authorities, political parties, civic organizations and the media to increase trust in the way the cameras are used.

“It is my sincere hope that they can summon the political will to address issues that have made citizens mistrust the system, including concerns raised by the plans to use video cameras in polling places. Only then can voters go to the polls without fear and concentrate on what matters most: electing the representatives who will reflect their interests during the next five years.”

Introducing the Declaration on Parliamentary Openness

In advance of its official launch at the World e-Parliament Conference on the International Day of Democracy, Scott Hubli, director of governance programs at NDI, and Andrew Mandelbaum, senior program officer on the governance program, introduced the Declaration on Parliamentary Openness in this piece for the Open Knowledge Foundation.

Hubli and Madelbaum noted that the Open Government Partnership (OGP), which supports more open and accountable public institutions, largely ignores parliaments and the importance of providing parliamentary information in open data formats that are easily shared and distributed. The Declaration on Parliamentary Openness, made up of more than 70 parliamentary monitoring organizations (PMOs) from more than 50 different countries, is advancing efforts on citizen engagement in governance by focusing on parliaments as “essential sources of public information.” They explain that the ability of PMOs to promote openness and engage citizens in the parliamentary process hinges on access to parliamentary information, and the Declaration provides concrete steps for parliaments to take to make the legislative process more open.

Hubli and Mandelbaum note that, though parliaments in many countries have made “concerted efforts to become more open,” many countries still are not taking advantage of the technology available to provide basic information and enhance citizen participation in the governing process.

“The increasing interconnectedness of the world’s citizens through social media, the Internet and mobile technology is rapidly changing citizens’ expectations for good governance and what parliaments must deliver,” said Hubli and Mandelbaum. “Parliaments that improve openness and participation can reinforce public confidence at a time when citizens around the world are becoming increasingly demanding of their representative institutions.”

The Missing 50 Percent

Responding to a Foreign Policy article, "Who Cares How Many Women Are in Parliament?", Susan A. Markham, NDI director of women’s political participation programs, disputes the co-authors’ claim that the number of female members in parliament is not a good metric for assessing democratic development.

She shares research from a report conducted in 19 countries by the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) that shows that a larger number of women legislators results in an increase in total educational expenditure. Markham argues that there are many indications that greater numbers of women elected officials consistently influence the focus of policy making toward the priorities of families, women, and ethnic and racial minorities. She references the West Bengal village in India, where greater women’s political representation led to an investment in drinking water facilities that was double that of villages with low levels of elected women, and that the roads there were almost twice as likely to be in good condition.

“Freedom for half the population is no freedom at all,” Markham argues, and women’s political participation is an integral step in helping democracy deliver.

Public Hearing on Ukraine's Upcoming Elections: A Pivotal Moment

Testifying before the Helsinki Commission, Katie Fox, deputy director for Eurasia programs at NDI, urged the international community to use both words and actions to “guard against the erosion of democratic rights in Ukraine.” With elections still several months away, the Ukrainian government maintains that it will hold a fully, democratic election that will show the ability to balance a centralized government with democratic values. Meanwhile, observers have noted a “general deterioration of political pluralism in Ukraine.” Specifically, the ruling party has assumed control over most institutions and governments, Ukraine’s Constitutional Court has invalidated portions of the parliamentary election law, and popular opposition leader and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has been imprisoned.

To restore credibility in the upcoming election, Ukrainians and elections observers must focus on ensuring the following: government impartiality in the administration of the elections; a campaign environment in which “candidates, campaign activists and observers can operate free of harassment and intimidation;” transparent formation of precinct electoral commissions; adherence to the legal framework for elections; and, “a post-election environment free from pressure or incentives to induce deputies to switch allegiance.”