Iong answer type question How do the citizens play an active role in making the parliament function properly and successfully
Answers
As someone working on deliberative democracy and its practices, I think we should not exaggerate electoral accountability. Of course it is better than nothing however it is not an effective way of ensuring a democratic system. At the end of the day, we are talking about a power that can be used every 4 or 5 years. Such power is simply not powerful. The lack of citizen power in politics is a systemic issue. Unless the ideas and perspectives of citizens are transmitted to the political arena, we cannot talk about the power of people.
Education is crucially important. With better education people's voting preferences might have better bases. However, this does not make the system any more democratic than it is now unless people have more chances of effecting the policy making. This needs a better systemic environment than electoral politics. Here, I think deliberative and participatory models offer great ways of political decision-making.