To mark the International Day of Democracy, celebrated on September 15, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is launching the New Parline, a new version of its open data portal on national parliaments. This tool is aimed at parliamentarians, academics, civil society, the media and anyone interested in parliaments as a central institution of democracy.
The IPU has been collecting data on parliaments since its creation in 1889. For example, it has been collecting information on women's participation in political life since 1945. With its New Parline, the IPU has brought together all available data on a single platform, enabling users not only to observe the evolution of trends over time, but also to compare the advances and setbacks recorded in different regions of the world.
This new portal contains information on the structure of parliaments and their working methods, as well as on various issues such as the representation of women and young people. Much of this information is previously unpublished. Most of the information published on the New Parline portal comes directly from national parliaments, and the IPU regularly updates it so that any changes resulting from new elections or other circumstances are reflected. The data covers a wide range of subjects, including the number of parliamentary chambers, the number of women MPs, the number of laws passed by parliaments and the average age of MPs.
The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Gabriela Cuevas, declared: "Democracy is under constant threat in the post-truth era. By launching the New Parline on the International Day of Democracy, the IPU is reaffirming its commitment to promoting democracy and democratic values worldwide. It is essential to be able to rely on proven facts to combat the resurgence of populist rhetoric."
"In a world where misleading information and alternative facts are commonplace, it is vital to be able to rely on reliable data to defend democracy. The launch of the New Parline portal reinforces the IPU as a unique and solid source of information on parliaments." Martin Chungong, IPU Secretary General
In adopting its Universal Declaration on Democracy on September 15, 1997, the IPU, as the world organization of parliaments, paved the way for the celebration of the International Day of Democracy, at the initiative of the United Nations. Every year, parliaments around the world celebrate this day by highlighting a particular aspect of democracy.
This year, the IPU is focusing on the theme of oversight, which is an essential function of parliament in a healthy democracy, where parliamentarians have access to reliable information enabling them to ask the right questions and hold their governments to account.
Parliamentary oversight is also the theme of the latest edition of the Global Parliamentary Report, published jointly by the IPU and the United Nations Development Programme, and featuring contributions from over 350 parliamentarians from 128 parliaments around the world,
The report reveals that, despite the importance of oversight, parliamentarians face many difficulties that prevent them from carrying out this function effectively. In some countries, parliamentarians are unable to express themselves freely. The report also stresses that protection of parliamentarians' freedom of expression is essential to guarantee their ability to study and control the conduct of public affairs. The IPU is currently examining and dealing with the cases of several opposition parliamentarians who have openly expressed their opinions and who are subject to human rights violations ranging from arbitrary arrest to politically-motivated prosecution and even murder.