“Against a backdrop of growing mistrust, how can the Parliaments of the G7 democracies strengthen the bond of trust with citizens by making parliamentary work more transparent and by involving them, along with civil society as a whole, in the law-making process?”
I. Background and challenges
The democracies of the G7 countries are going through a profound crisis in the functioning of the representative system. This is revealed by several factors: a structural decline in voter turnout and a growing disengagement from politics, particularly among younger people; increasing mistrust in institutions; a rise in populist and anti-system forces.
The perceived distance between elected officials and citizens, the sense that decisions are made far-removed from real concerns, the complexity of legislative processes and the questioning of the integrity of certain officials are leading to a breakdown of trust in our democracies.
In light of this situation, it is essential to restore the trust of citizens in institutions. In order to defend liberal and representative democracy—the only political system which can reconcile effective public action, respect for fundamental rights and pluralism—it is therefore necessary to improve how citizens perceive their institutions, to reinvigorate democratic functioning and to involve them to a greater extent in its processes.
The challenges today are indeed numerous:
Transparency and democratic outreach: Parliaments suffer from a lack of clarity. Citizens have difficulty understanding the role of their Parliament, its actual powers and its day-to-day functioning. The challenge is to make parliamentary work intelligible and accessible: this includes in the fields of openness, access to Parliament, the monitoring of sittings and meetings, the use of digital tools for tracking legislation and the highlighting of all parliamentary activities (particularly in committees and constituencies). Transparency is a prerequisite for trust and allows parliamentarians to be accountable to citizens.
Balancing representation and participation: Participatory mechanisms exist, such as online petitions, citizens’ assemblies, consultations, the right of citizens to initiate legislation, as well as the rights of veto or withdrawal. The challenge is to ensure that these tools genuinely involve citizens in the decision-making process and do not function merely as a “showcase” to legitimize representatives’ actions. Although it is traditionally seen as an instrument of opposition, direct democracy—through referenda—could also contribute to strengthening representative democracy.
In this context, digital technologies offer innovative tools to enhance transparency and facilitate citizen participation, particularly among young people. However, these technologies also carry risks, such as foreign interference, information manipulation, political micro-targeting and the increased polarization of public debate. The challenge is to develop regulated, secure uses that are compatible with democratic principles.
The role of civil society and intermediary bodies: trade unions, associations, and professional organizations act as mediators and channel the requests of citizens to the institutions. Yet, there has been a weakening of institutionalized social dialogue in several countries. In this context, Parliament could assert itself as a key interlocutor. While mechanisms for expression and dialogue already exist, their use deserves to be better coordinated with legislative work.
II. Key questions for the discussion
➢ What role can parliaments play in encouraging citizen engagement and participation? How can these efforts foster greater involvement by young people?
➢How can parliaments improve transparency and make their functioning and work more understandable to citizens? Which digital and educational tools have proven effective?
➢How can representative democracy be combined with already existing participatory mechanisms? What lessons must be drawn from the current instruments (petitions, citizens’ assemblies, referenda) and what new initiatives could be implemented? How can the contributions of citizens be transmitted without creating tension or confrontation with Parliament?
➢How can civil society be better integrated into the legislative process? Can Parliament serve as ?
➢In the face of rising populism that exploits forms of direct democracy, what approach can G7 parliaments adopt to ensure the appropriate and complementary use of these tools?
➢How can parliaments open up to citizen participation without exposing themselves more to foreign interference and strategies aimed at undermining their credibility?
