mana balss - how citizens petition parliament with success

Public e-petition platform MyVoice: How Citizens Petition

Parliament with Success

“ManaBalss.lv now puts Latvia at the forefront of European efforts to

shift some forms of political participation to the Internet.”

Madara Peipina, CEO, Latvia // 22 May, Sarajevo, POINT 4.0

1. Who we are & how does it work

2. What are the results

3. What we have learned

We want to take people's ideas to

Parliament and put them on the official

agenda.

WHO WE ARE?

STARTED IN 2011: SOLUTIONS INSTEAD OF MEANINGLESS PROTESTS

HOW DOES IT WORK?INITIATIVE SUBMITTED TO MANABALSS.LV, REVIEWED, IMPROVED

INITIATIVE PUBLISHED ON MANABALSS.LV

COLLECTING SIGNATURES

10 000 SIGNATURES >> SUBMITTED TO PARLIAMENT

REVIEWED IN PARLIAMENT (TECHNICAL)

REVIEWED & DISCUSSED IN PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION (CONTENT)

A VOTE IN PARLIAMENT (SUGGESTED BY THE COMMISSION)

WHAT ARE THE RESULTS?● 15 e-petitions have gone to

Parliament

● 8 e-petitions have received a vote on Parliament and become law amendments.

● Over 35% of Latvia’s population has visited ManaBalss.lv

● Recognized as an Open Government success story world wide

Initiatives that Parliament voted YES

• Let’s Open the Parliament•Let’s Open the Offshores

•Stop ACTA•Stricter Responsibility for Breaking the MP’s Oath

•Equal Public Transport Fees in Riga•Restricting Syntethic Drugs Use

•2% of GDP for State Defense

WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED?

1. Technology is never enough.What drives change is the people behind it.

2. Strict framework for crowdsourced content helps to maintain the quality and focus on the

goals

3. Results, results, results.You alywas have to be ready to show clear, tangable

evidence that shows what is the point of all this.

4. Solutions vs. pointless criticismCreate a framework for solution driven thinking and

action.

5. Don’t always play by the rules.Be smart, be cheaky, know your game.

OPEN CODE & COULD THIS WORK IN OTHER COUNTRIES?

Thank you !www.manabalss.lv // madara@manabalss.lv // +371 22077684