Parliaments in a time of pandemic
As the COVID-19 pandemic shuts or slows down vast swathes of global activity, how are parliaments facilitating the implementation of the emergency health measures recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO)? What impact is physical distancing and confinement having on the way parliaments function? How can parliaments debate, pass legislation and scrutinize the actions of government? And how are parliamentarians themselves reaching out to their constituents in a time of public distancing? Can democracy really be distance-friendly?
Over the next few weeks, the IPU will be reporting on how parliaments are responding to the public health crisis by passing emergency legislation, allocating resources and adopting new ways of working using the latest innovation and technology.
On this page, we list some of the measures being taken around the world. We are doing this in the interests of sharing parliamentary practice and facilitating inter-parliamentary communication. The list below is not exhaustive and the summaries are provided for information purposes only. The information on this page does not necessarily reflect the position of the IPU or constitute an endorsement of a particular course of action.
Let us know how your parliament and parliamentarians are responding to the pandemic by writing to press@ipu.org
UK Parliament has adopted an emergency bill responding to the impact of COVID-19
Dr Luke Evans MP working from home as part of the House of Commons Health Select Committee
UK Parliament during Westminster lockdown in response to COVID-19
