The Emergence of Interparliamentary Collaboration

In recent years, the concept of interparliamentary collaboration has gained traction as a means to foster the sharing of knowledge, experiences, and best practices between parliaments around the world. This cooperative spirit was further bolstered by the creation of a group of IT professionals from various parliaments working to create open data best practices and spread them among parliaments.

Adapting to the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the planned in-person meetings, but work continued remotely. As coordinator, one IT professional found themselves faced with the challenge of implementing a virtual plenary in just four days. This experience sparked a discussion among IT teams from different parliaments about how they were helping their institutions adapt to the unprecedented situation.

Addressing Legal and Technological Concerns

These discussions revealed that the primary concern was finding the legal instrument to support the shift to virtual proceedings. In Brazil, for example, a legislative resolution was adopted to enable hybrid sittings. Additionally, videoconferencing platforms were thoroughly tested for functionality and adaptability to different situations.

Security and E-Voting

Security was a major topic of discussion, with the House of Representatives in Brazil producing a security risk analysis report for videoconferences that was made available to all parliaments. Another challenge was implementing e-voting systems that closely replicated the dynamics of in-person voting.

The Digital Legislative Process

As discussions evolved, it became clear that the digital transformation of the legislative process required a reevaluation of existing practices and strategies. The collaborative efforts of the IT professionals involved in these discussions allowed for the sharing of solutions and a better understanding of the unique contexts and challenges faced by different parliaments.

Conclusion

The journey towards fully digital parliaments is just beginning, but the collaborative spirit and determination demonstrated by IT professionals from various parliaments have already laid the foundation for success. By sharing knowledge, experiences, and expertise, these professionals have overcome numerous challenges and developed innovative solutions to adapt parliamentary processes to the digital age. As parliaments continue to embrace digital transformation, this spirit of cooperation and mutual support will be instrumental in ensuring that they remain effective, transparent, and responsive to the needs of their citizens.