Going Digital: Launching a Playbook for Legislatures

Overview.

Democracy is backsliding around the world. Strongmen are consolidating power, censorship and surveillance is increasing, and malign foreign authoritarian influence is undermining open societies. Meanwhile, legislatures and parliaments – key pillars for pushing back against those trends – are struggling to stay operational as the COVID 19 pandemic continues to ravage the world and the internet changes citizen expectations of elected officials. Core to addressing those issues is ensuring that legislatures can securely and effectively embrace digital technology to advance their work and democratic principles writ large. Given the threat future pandemics and other events pose to normal parliamentary operations, what are best practices in how parliaments can harness and build upon the adaptations they made to adequately function when in-person conduct is impossible? Further, given the efficiencies and other benefits derived from digitizing operations, how can the global community build a new model for future parliamentary activity that can extend beyond crises and provide a sustainable model in diverse contexts?

Please join the German Marshall Fund (GMF) and the International Republican Institute (IRI) on Friday, July 16 at 10:00 a.m. ET for the launch of IRI’s guide, Going Digital: A Playbook for Legislatures. Informed by best practices and experiences around the world over the last year, the playbook is designed to help legislatures, elected representatives, and their staff securely use technology to increase their capacity to respond to citizens, and hold executive branches accountable – particularly in instances where they are unable to operate in person.

Speakers:

Scott Mastic, Vice President for Programs, IRI

Jonathan Katz, Director of Democracy Initiatives, GMF

Amanda Zink, Senior Program Associate, IRI

Brittany Beaulieu, Visiting Fellow, GMF

Hon. Sos Avetisyan, Former Member of Parliament, National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia

Hon. Jeehan Mahmood, Member of Parliament, The People’s Majlis of the Maldives

Hon. José Daniel López, Member of Parliament, House of Representatives of Colombia

Hon. Bisera Kostadinovska Stojchevska, Member of Parliament, Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia

Hon. Nathalie Arias, Member of the National Assembly of Ecuador

Who’s speaking?

Scott
Mastic

Vice President, Programs

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GUEST

u003cstrongu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cstrongu003eJonathan Katzu003c/strongu003eu003c/strongu003eu003c/strongu003e

u003cpu003eu003cspan class=u0022has-sans-serif-fontu0022u003eu003cstrongu003eDirector of Democracy Initiatives, GMFu003c/strongu003eu003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003e

u003cstrongu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cstrongu003eAmanda Zinku003c/strongu003eu003c/strongu003eu003c/strongu003e

u003cpu003eu003cspan class=u0022has-sans-serif-fontu0022u003eu003cstrongu003eSenior Program Associate, IRIu003c/strongu003eu003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003e

GUEST

u003cstrongu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cstrongu003eBrittany Beaulieuu003c/strongu003eu003c/strongu003eu003c/strongu003eu003c/strongu003eu003c/strongu003e

u003cpu003eu003cspan class=u0022has-sans-serif-fontu0022u003eu003cstrongu003eVisiting Fellow, GMFu003c/strongu003eu003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003e

GUEST

u003cstrongu003eu003cstrongu003eHon. Sos Avetisyanu003c/strongu003eu003c/strongu003e

u003cpu003eu003cspan class=u0022has-sans-serif-fontu0022u003eu003cstrongu003eFormer Member of Parliament, National Assembly of the Republic of Armeniau003c/strongu003eu003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003e

GUEST

u003cstrongu003eu003cstrongu003eHon. Jeehan Mahmoodu003c/strongu003eu003c/strongu003e

u003cpu003eu003cspan class=u0022has-sans-serif-fontu0022u003eu003cstrongu003eMember of Parliament, The People’s Majlis of the Maldivesu003c/strongu003eu003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003e

GUEST

u003cstrongu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cstrongu003eHon. José Daniel Lópezu003c/strongu003eu003c/strongu003eu003c/strongu003eu003c/strongu003eu003c/strongu003eu003c/strongu003e

u003cpu003eu003cspan class=u0022has-sans-serif-fontu0022u003eu003cstrongu003eMember of Parliament, House of Representatives of Colombiau003c/strongu003eu003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003e

GUEST

u003cstrongu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cstrongu003eHon. Bisera Kostadinovska Stojchevskau003c/strongu003eu003c/strongu003eu003c/strongu003e

u003cpu003eu003cspan class=u0022has-sans-serif-fontu0022u003eu003cstrongu003eMember of Parliament, Assembly of the Republic of North Macedoniau003c/strongu003eu003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003e

GUEST

u003cstrongu003eu003cstrongu003eu003cstrongu003eHon. Nathalie Ariasu003c/strongu003eu003c/strongu003eu003c/strongu003e

u003cpu003eu003cspan class=u0022has-sans-serif-fontu0022u003eu003cstrongu003eMember of the National Assembly of Ecuadoru003c/strongu003eu003c/spanu003eu003c/pu003e