UNDP and France partner to strengthen global parliaments

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) teamed up with France’s Senate to help fix struggling parliaments worldwide as democracies come under attack, according to UNDP. The deal lets both organizations share know-how and resources to make parliamentary institutions work better for people. One in three parliaments around the world already asks UNDP for help, which shows how badly this support is needed.

People are losing faith in democratic institutions while authoritarian movements keep growing stronger. Parliaments can’t handle basic stuff like writing decent laws, keeping governments honest, or getting citizens involved in real ways. Many also don’t know how to deal with modern problems like climate change and digital issues that need new skills.

The partnership will help parliaments that ask for it to get better at their main jobs – making laws, watching over governments, and listening to citizens. They’ll also run training programs, set up exchanges between different countries, and give special help to parliaments dealing with big political changes.

“At this critical time, when trust in institutions is declining, strengthening parliamentary capacity is essential,” said UNDP’s Susan Brown.

French Senate Vice-President Loïc Hervé talked about how parliaments matter for making global development goals actually happen through the laws they write and how they keep tabs on governments.

“This collaboration will promote good governance and pursue the goal of bringing citizens closer to their representatives,” he said when they signed the deal in Geneva.

UNDP already works with 65 parliaments and will mix that experience with France’s parliamentary expertise. The flexible partnership can change based on what different countries need and whatever priorities parliaments have. It builds on almost 20 years of working together that started back in 2005.