The source of legitimacy of MPs to hold sessions and take action and decisions in the Assembly derives from the citizens. The representative function entails MPs\u2019 obligations to ensure transparency and inclusiveness in their work for the general public, and to continuously promote mechanisms for meeting those obligations. An Assembly which is closed to the public undermines the sovereignty that derives from, and belongs to the citizens.<\/p>\n
To ensure transparency of their work, legislatures often use their own public outreach channels about their work, such as parliamentary TV channels and websites. On the other hand, it is very important to follow and adjust to the pace in which public outreach tools develop and parliaments therefore often utilize modern channels, i.e. social media such as Twitter and Facebook. It is crucial to identify and practice adequate public relations mechanisms to maintain continuous topicality among citizens, as well as to call for and promote mechanisms that include them in the work of the Assembly.<\/p>\n
In this respect, surveys about citizens\u2019 perception about the work of the Assembly, conducted by the Institute for Democracy \u201cSocietas Civilis\u201c \u2013 Skopje, largely focus on aspects related to citizens\u2019 awareness about the work of the Assembly, their most commonly used sources of information, as well as the degree of shown interest and citizen participation in the work of the Assembly. This brief analysis therefore provides a comparative overview of the developing trends in these areas based on the survey results from the past four years (2018 \u2013 2021). In addition, the analysis provides a short overview of taken positions and practices in this regard in the European Parliament, and the parliaments in the United Kingdom and Kosovo.<\/p>\n
Read the policy brief here:<\/p>\n