Democracy as we know was first practised in ancient Greece. In fact, the word democracy comes from the Greek word Demokratia where Demos means the people and Kratia means rule or power. Ancient Greece was an example where everyone (in this case, members of the nobility) had a say in the affairs of the City or State. But as cities and countries experienced population growth, it was not possible for everyone to meet at the same time.
Hence, the concept of representative democracy was born, whereby the people vote for representatives who could speak on their behalf in a Parliament or a similar body. This word originates from the French Parler which means “to talk”. However, a form of direct democracy is still practised in Switzerland, where questions of national importance are put before voters in a referendum.
Few countries
Sri Lankans have had the franchise or the vote since 1931, even before the country gained Independence. Sri Lanka has remained one of the few countries in South Asia where Parliamentary democracy has thrived throughout, despite a few aberrations here and there. In many other countries, militaries and dictatorships have stifled democracy in various ways.
While a Parliament is generally empowered to pass laws applicable to a given country, it is also a link to the outside world. Parliamentary diplomacy is a way to build relationships and promote cooperation between national Parliaments. Many Parliaments encourage their Members to participate in inter-Parliamentary organisations, bilateral exchanges, and other Parliamentary diplomacy initiatives. In this way, Parliamentarians can represent their countries’ interests, foster dialogue and cooperation with counterparts from other nations, and work towards building consensus on international issues.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), established in 1889, holds the distinction of being the first political multilateral organisation aimed at fostering international cooperation and resolving conflicts through dialogue rather than warfare. Throughout its history, the 180-member IPU has been a pivotal platform for Parliamentary diplomacy, enabling nations to engage in meaningful conversations and mediation. The organisation’s impact is underscored by the fact that its founders and numerous other prominent members have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, highlighting their contributions to global peace efforts.
In countries emerging from conflict or transitioning to democracy, the IPU plays a critical role in building strong, democratic Parliamentary institutions capable of uniting divided societies. The organisation’s commitment to peace is further demonstrated through its vigorous advocacy for disarmament. The IPU actively lobbies for a world free of nuclear weapons and supports the thorough implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1540, which aims to prevent non-State actors from acquiring weapons of mass destruction. Recognising that war disproportionately impacts women and youth, the IPU places a special emphasis on peace and security for these groups.
The International Day of Parliamentarism is celebrated every year on June 30 (today), the date in 1889 on which the IPU was founded. The Day was established in 2018 through a United Nations General Assembly Resolution. Instituting an international day for Parliaments is particularly important at this critical time for Parliamentary democracy, when people are losing trust in political institutions and democracy itself is facing challenges from populist, Far-Right and nationalist movements. If democracy is to thrive, then Parliaments, as the cornerstone of functioning democracies, need to be stronger, transparent, accountable and representative.
One glaring fact shows that Parliamentary democracy has a long way to go to ensure gender parity. Globally, women have a representation of only 29 percent in Parliaments and both males and females below 30 have a representation of only three percent. This picture must change soon. Sri Lanka, which produced the world’s first woman Prime Minister in 1960, has spectacularly failed in this endeavour, with only around five percent women’s representation in all political bodies combined. Laws to ensure 25 percent youth representation in political bodies have also not made much headway. Our political parties must be determined to change this bleak picture. Every Member of Parliament (MP) should be a de-facto diplomat, as they frequently have to meet foreign envoys and also travel to various countries to meet fellow MPs and attend conferences. But how many of our erstwhile people’s representatives can meet that criteria remains a key question. Quite apart from the total lack of knowledge of the King’s language and nuances of diplomacy, the composition of the present Parliament does not reflect the best that our society has to offer.
Brawn to brain
Political parties are partly to be blamed for this, because they prefer brawn to brain, as the former can literally flex muscles and throw money around to gain votes. This culture of violence and intimidation ingrained in our elections cycle is unfortunately one of the reasons why educated or professional women prefer not to enter politics, unless they already have a male relative in this field.
Two things must, therefore, change at the next General Election. First, parties must nominate only educated, professional candidates, giving a fair share of slots to women and also to males under 35. They should be told to strictly observe the incoming Campaign Financing laws, with the caveat that they could get disqualified in case of any violations. These laws are aimed at curbing corruption – right now, businessmen are known to bankroll election candidates in return for favours once they are elected. Second, the voters themselves must use their vote wisely. If a party still nominates thuggish, corrupt, uncouth or downright criminal candidates, they should be rejected en masse. In other words, they should have no future in politics. We need our MPs to be real ambassadors and electing “clean” candidates is the best way to do it.
