Opinion polls may not provide the definitive answer to important questions, but they probably give a good indication of what people are thinking. For that reason they are useful tools for any organization concerned with democracy, such as the IPU.
To help mark this year's International Day of Democracy, on 15 September, the IPU launched its first ever global public opinion survey of attitudes towards democracy. Over 21,000 people randomly selected in 24 countries (representing 64% of the world’s population) were polled. The survey's focus on the question of "political tolerance", i.e., the extent to which people feel free to discuss their political views, shone a light on people's perception of party discipline, the influence of opposition parties, the representation of minorities in politics, and several other aspects of representative democracy. The results were not encouraging and showed once again what a daunting task democracy-building is.
In no nation do most people say they are completely free to express unpopular views. Many live in fear of harassment or punishment for speaking their minds politically. Most people think that politicians are more likely to recite the party line than to speak their own views for fear of retribution. A clear majority also thinks that opposition parties do not get a fair chance of influencing the political discourse, which remains largely dominated by the government side.
Of particular interest for the IPU, which believes strongly in gender equality as a cornerstone of democracy, a modest majority of men thinks women are fairly represented in parliament, while most women think they are not. In actual fact, worldwide women hold only 18 per cent of parliamentary seats.
Copies of the survey were released to parliaments for circulation to all members and constituents at large. For the IPU, the survey results will provide further guidance on issues to be addressed in its work to promote democracy around the world. Most important, it is hoped the survey will help end the complacency that exists on these issues in far too many places.
