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The Swiss National Council © The Swiss Parliament

Democracy and strong parliaments

We support democracy by strengthening parliaments
Swiss National Council

Strong parliaments are the cornerstone of democracy and essential for development. They represent the people, pass laws and hold governments to account. As an organization made up of nearly all the world’s national parliaments, the IPU helps parliaments become more representative, gender-balanced, younger, transparent, accessible, accountable and effective.

To do this, the IPU pools the collective expertise and experience of its Members to establish common standards and guidelines  on parliaments. We encourage parliaments to lead their own development through tools such as our Common Principles for Support to Parliaments.

We also help parliaments harness the power of new technology through the Centre for Innovation in Parliament, a partnership between the IPU and parliaments to develop and share good practices in digital innovation and tools such as social media.

The IPU’s democratic ideals have been enshrined in two important declarations. In 1994, IPU Members adopted the Declaration on Criteria for Free and Fair Elections  followed by the Universal Declaration on Democracy three years later. 

IPU Members also have a dedicated Committee on Democracy and Human Rights  that meets at every Assembly.
 

152

Setting standards

Number of national parliaments which have endorsed the Common Principles for Support to Parliaments

Explore strong parliaments

Criteria for democratic parliaments

There are five core values that are applicable to all parliaments, whatever their diverse cultures and traditions. A democratic parliament is one that is representative, open and transparent, accessible, accountable and effective.

IPU standards

We pull together common values and principles of parliaments' work into sets of standards and guidelines that present a vision of democratic parliaments and describe good practices.

Assistance in action

We work actively throughout the world to help develop strong, well-functioning parliaments that can rise to modern challenges.

Centre for Innovation in Parliament

The new Centre for Innovation in Parliament is a partnership between the IPU and parliaments to support parliamentary innovation through improved use of digital tools. The Centre provides a platform for parliaments to develop and share good practices in digital implementation strategies, and practical methods for building capacity.

Global Parliamentary Report

The Global Parliamentary Report (GPR) is jointly produced by IPU and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and draws on input from parliaments worldwide. It analyses the major issues affecting parliamentary practice and identifies current trends and good practices. It also offers policy options for parliaments to respond to current challenges

Common Principles for Support to Parliaments

The Common Principles for Support to Parliaments set out the fundamental principles for planning and implementing programmes to strengthen parliaments.

International Days

The International Day of Democracy is celebrated around the world on 15 September each year. Its sister day, the International Day of Parliamentarism, is celebrated worldwide on 30 June.

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) and its rapid application across political, economic and social spheres offers potential benefits to humanity and the development sector. However, recent major advances also pose immediate risks to democracy, human rights and the rule of law that must be urgently addressed by legislators around the world. AI-related risks range from democratic instability to ethical concerns, global peace
Latest news and stories on strong parliaments
belize

06/04/2025

Belize becomes the newest IPU Member Parliament

From Paris to Tashkent: Celebrating 150 Assemblies!

03/04/2025

From Paris to Tashkent: Celebrating 150 IPU Assemblies!

lac

27/03/2025

IPU Secretary General visits Colombia and Costa Rica

Radosław Fogiel, Poland

26/03/2025

A conversation with... Radosław Fogiel, Poland

J Lashell Adderly, The Bahamas

24/03/2025

A conversation with... J Lashell Adderly, President of the Senate of The Bahamas

Latest publications on strong parliaments

Celebrating 10 years of the Common Principles for Support to Parliaments

In too many countries, democracy has failed to deliver fast or fair enough. Progress against the UN’s sustainable development goals has slowed, or even gone into reverse.

Using generative AI in parliaments

Generative AI (GenAI) has emerged since late 2022 as a new way to create content. It promises productivity gains and, perhaps, transformational change.

Indicators for Democratic Parliaments

The Indicators for Democratic Parliaments are a comprehensive self-assessment tool designed to help parliaments evaluate their capacity and practice against established d

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New York, United States