citizen – mp communication tools: case of latvia

Sabiedriskās politikas centrs

Citizen – MP communication tools: case of Latvia(Presentation by Iveta Kazoka, Centre for Public Policy PROVIDUS for Personal Democracy Forum, Feb 1-2, 2013, Warsaw)

Gudrasgalvas.lv (communication platform)

Centre for Public Policy PROVIDUS

Musuvalsts.lv (policy idea crowdsourcing platform)


Manabalss.lv(e-petit ion platform)


Deputatiuzdelnas.lv (parl iamentary monitoring website)


But now let us focus on communication!

In Latvia direct voter communication with polit icians happens either through social networks

(especially twitter) or gudrasgalvas.lv .. .

For more information on Latvian e-init iatives in English see:

http://democracyoneday.wordpress.com/


How we made gudrasgalvas.lv

what i t is? (responses to questions posted by Andrew

Mandelbaum)


Why do cit izens use your tool?

1. We launched gudrasgalvas.lv in 2010 prior to parliamentary elections – at that time it functioned as a communication platform with candidates;

2. We included several gamification elements both for voters (there was a competition) and candidates (activity badges for candidates, political party popularity competition);

3. The most convenient place on Latvian web to get an answer from majority of MP’s;

4. There is some additional interesting content there (blogs, video interviews, media monitoring, twitter communication).


How do you get MPs to be involved?

1. It was hard ... now over a half of MP’s and ministers use this site, but it took a while;

2. Elections in 2010, and extraordinary elections in 2011 helped a lot motivationwise;

3. There are several features in the platform meant to attract MP’s interest because of their convenience (media monitoring; calendar; surveys)

4. Every week we try to organize a video-interview with a MP, that also increases their motivation to participate


What types of impact such a site can have?

Not easy to measure: it is a very popular site prior to elections, and not very much visited in between campaigns;

You can get answers to you responses from a bit over a half of all MP’s and ministers (including prime minister), and then do whatever you want with them. For example, compare MPs. http://ivetakazoka.blogspot.com/2012/04/kas-un-kadel-irnav-parakstijusi-labas.html

The most important impact and benefit of such sites is quite intangible: in case of Latvia it habituates politicians to the necessity to communicate directly with the voters.


http://ivetakazoka.blogspot.com/2012/04/kas-un-kadel-irnav-parakstijusi-labas.html

What are some of the factors beyond the website that make

the project successful? Timing (coming elections definitely help!); Format (it might have been more/less successful if

not for the youthful, game-like form of the platform which is unusual for MP’s);

Ability to invest energy in contacting MP’s and trying to retain their interest in visiting this website and responding to questions;

Ability to invest energy in making citizens aware of the website and to post questions.


Further information on gudrasgalvas.lv and

some annotated screenshots is available

here!

http://democracyoneday.wordpress.com/2013/01/14/gudras-galvas-init iat ive/


citizen – mp communication tools: case of latvia

Documents