Open Parliament TV is a platform that allows the German Parliament to record and share their debates, making the political decision-making process more transparent and fostering trust in the democratic process.
EASY ACCESS TO DEBATES
While almost every Parliament publishes video recordings and text proceedings of their sessions, parliamentary proceedings are currently published in several different incompatible formats that are often only accessible via proprietary platforms. At the same time, access to parliamentary debates is vital to being able to understand and interact with the political system. Recordings and livestreams are not only reference tools for journalists or members of Parliament themselves, but also provide a tangible way for the public to interface with their elected officials. Open Parliament TV was designed in relation to the guiding principle that parliamentary debates should be open and accessible to the public, with the aim of building greater trust and participation in democratic processes.
AN EASY-TO-USE PLATFORM
Open Parliament TV addresses the current lack of accessibility by creating a joint technological basis for Parliaments to record and share their debates. The platform has interoperable standards, interfaces, and document
formats, as well as a search engine function and interactive video player. With Open Parliament TV, parliamentary speeches are searchable, shareable, and quotable via a fully automatic synchronisation of video recordings and text
proceedings. This technical interface also allows journalists to connect Parliamentary debates with background information and original sources or to conduct fact checks, enabling greater accuracy and transparency.
BUILDING TRUST IN THE SYSTEM
Open Parliament TV is already being used frequently by citizens, journalists, and Members of Parliament in Germany. The project now aims to be scalable to other Parliaments at different levels of government, from city councils and regional Parliaments to national Parliaments and ultimately the EU Parliament. By broadening political discourse beyond the boundaries of single parliamentary bodies, Open Parliament TV builds trust in the democratic system, making political decision-making processes more participatory and accessible.
