Parliaments are accelerating their digital transformations, driven by top-level leadership and multi-year strategies, the new IPU World e-Parliament Report finds. But the pace differs from country to country and parliaments in high-income countries are more digitally mature.

In other words, the digital divide between parliaments is a reality. 

“Two thirds of parliaments now have multi-year strategies,” says Andy Williamson, the lead author. “And this is a significant shift from what we have seen in the past.”

“However, the transition is expensive, and we see a widening gap between the parliaments that have the money and resources and those that don’t,” he says. 

For many parliaments, COVID-19 was a turning point, requiring parliaments to discuss their responses to the pandemic (and other issues) without actually meeting in person. Many parliaments shifted their meetings online and developed other ways to share ideas and information.

The pandemic has receded now, but many parliaments continue to accelerate their digital transition, viewing it as a strategic issue to be led from the very top.

“The digital transformation is no longer about cables and hard drives,” says Dr. Williamson.

“Instead, it has become a serious question of strategy and leadership – that’s a philosophical shift.”

THE FUTURE QUALITY OF DEMOCRACY AND ITS INSTITUTIONS

The IPU published its first World e-Parliament Report in 2008 and every two years since then. The report captures the state of digital adoption in parliaments, recording progress over the years.

This year’s 2024 report, which is published just ahead of the 149th IPU Assembly in Geneva, comes at a particularly sensitive moment.

With elections taking place this year in so many of the world’s most important democracies, artificial intelligence and disinformation have become major themes. In response, parliaments can leverage their digital transitions not only to boost efficiency, but also to provide truthful digital content and engage more effectively with their publics. 

DIGITAL MATURITY

The 2024 World e-Parliament Report – which is based on a survey of 115 parliaments and chambers in 86 countries as well as the European and Pan-African Parliaments – introduces the IPU Digital Maturity Index, a new tool for parliaments to benchmark their progress.

The Index outlines six key areas of digital maturity including digital governance, infrastructure, parliamentary systems, support for parliamentary users, digital content and public engagement.

It highlights, for example, how parliaments are investing more human and financial resources into digital governance, the first of these six areas. Some 68 percent of parliaments now have multi-year digital strategies, while 69 percent of secretaries general are involved in the governance of their information and communication technologies, a significant jump from 51 percent four years ago.

The two most advanced of the six areas, however, are infrastructure and support for parliamentary users. The typical parliament has an ICT workforce of 24 full-time staff and some 96 percent of parliaments provide hardware for their MPs and staff.

But while some technologies are new, others are becoming obsolete. The report describes, for example, how social media is replacing radio.

As parliaments embrace digital tools to modernize, streamline and improve their work, most parliaments are finding that the shift brings better data management, faster decision-making and increased efficiency.

But stark disparities remain. In the parliaments of high-income countries, IT systems support an average 16 to 17 functional areas, while that figure falls to an average 9 or 10 functional areas for parliaments in sub-Saharan Africa and the Pacific.

And public engagement is clearly lagging. Few parliaments have a formal strategy for online public engagement, which can help build trust and confidence in the democratic process. Engagement is even more of a challenge in countries where access to the internet is limited. The report advises parliaments to prioritize public engagement, however, urging them to develop formal strategies and leverage their digital tools.

CHANGING THREATS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Parliaments must shift their digital strategies in other ways too, the report finds. For many parliaments, for example, cybersecurity has become a major emerging issue. Some 70 percent of parliaments have adopted national cybersecurity standards and 53 percent now have internal strategies to keep their networks safe.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is also changing the parliamentary environment, offering both risk and opportunity. While Brazil has won plaudits for its Ulysses platform, which can analyse 30,000 comments on any given piece of legislation, many parliaments are also using AI for regular tasks such as transcription, translation and cybersecurity. Some 29 percent of survey respondents said their parliaments had adopted AI.

The IPU supports parliaments to work with AI through a range of activities, including by sharing experience and good practices. Some knowledge is shared through dialogue and networking at IPU events, but the survey also finds that for AI and other digital issues, some 45 percent of parliaments are now engaging with the IPU’s Centre for Innovation in Parliament, a significant increase from 27 percent in 2020.

And at the IPU Assembly in Geneva from October 13 to 17, parliamentarians will have an extra opportunity to discuss AI and other digital issues, since the Assembly is focused on AI, science and technology. 
 

Brazil

Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies ranks at the top of the IPU Digital Maturity Index, with its Ulysses Suite standing out as an AI-powered tool that uses machine learning to analyse large amounts of documents and data.  
Named after Ulysses Guimarães, a key figure in Brazil’s 1988 Constitution, the platform is designed to manage every aspect of the legislative process. It handles bill drafting, tracking proposals, amendments, voting and document management. Security was a priority, and the platform was built to connect Brazil’s federal, state, and municipal legislatures.
Some legislators and staff members were initially reluctant to replace traditional working methods, but collaboration and training helped to overcome that resistance. 
Ulysses enhances transparency by offering real-time public access to data, including bill status, voting results, and meeting agendas. It automates workflows and supports integration with other legislative bodies. Since 2018, citizens have been able to comment and vote anonymously on bills. Some bills receive up to 30,000 comments, which Ulysses then analyses using “smart” technology to summarize both positive and negative feedback. 
By blending tradition with innovation, Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies has successfully modernized its processes while protecting and maintaining its democratic values. 

Ireland

The global pandemic may have accelerated the digital transformation for some parliaments, but Ireland’s Oireachtas had already begun its journey long before.
Facing challenges such as siloed systems and a reliance on manual – and often inaccurate – processes, its aging IT infrastructure slowed day-to-day operations, burdened staff unnecessarily, and complicated public engagement. 
Around 2018, the Oireachtas started out on a digital transformation to move away from disjointed, paper-based processes towards a more integrated system that would enable data sharing, streamline processes and boost collaboration. The ambitious transition eventually involved more than 100 individual projects over several years. 
Two key programmes stood out. First, the digital parliament programme modernized legislative processes such as bills, motions, and submissions. This shift reduced the consumption of paper, enhanced accuracy and lightened workloads. Future plans include an automated system with live screens and speaker lists.
Second, the corporate organisation programme focused on improving operations. A Members’ portal was created as a central hub for submitting issues, accessing calendars and facilitating communication between Members. 
The benefits of this digital transformation extended beyond the Oireachtas. The digitalization improved public access to information, deepened citizens’ understanding of legislative processes and ultimately strengthened Ireland’s democracy.

Mauritius

Mauritius’ digital transition began as a response to the growing importance of digital governance and data management, and accelerated when COVID-19 required MPs to work remotely under very difficult conditions. 
Twenty years ago, the ICT team consisted of just two technicians focused on maintaining hardware and local networks. Since then, the single-chamber National Assembly has significantly expanded its IT functions, adding expertise in cybersecurity, analysis, broadcast, cloud systems and remote access. 
Assembly staff see this growth as essential for a functioning parliament, recognizing that the new technologies improve efficiency and empower Mauritian citizens. The transition has not been without challenges, however, including cybersecurity threats, limited resources, and resistance from those who prefer more traditional ways of working.
To address these issues, the Assembly implemented regular training and emphasized the benefits technological improvements. Today, the ICT team participates in strategic decision-making, ensuring that the Assembly’s technological capabilities align with its goals.
ICT is now central to everything from electronic document management and automatic debate transcription to paperless operations and digital communication platforms. The Assembly has also enhanced transparency by live-streaming proceedings on its web portal and Parliament TV, promoting accountability and encouraging citizen engagement.