The majority of Cypriot citizens are overwhelmingly in favour of the live broadcast of the Parliamentary Committees in Cyprus. As shown by the findings of a survey conducted by IMR / University of Nicosia on behalf of the startup Zenox Public Affairs, a percentage of 86% of respondents were in favor of live broadcasts.
Respondents justify their position by stating that:
Such a development will ensure transparency in the decision-making process (47% I totally agree, 41% I probably agree),
legislation will be implemented at a faster rate (32% I totally agree, 38% I probably agree),
citizens will receive more timely information about the decisions of the Parliamentary Committees (51% I totally agree, 39% I probably agree).
They also believe that the presence and participation of members in committee meetings will be increased (41% I totally agree, 39% I probably agree). To a lesser extent, citizens speculate that in this way politicians will also take responsibility for their words and actions (29% I totally agree, 32% I probably agree).
At the same time, the participants in the survey determine the digital platforms from which they would like to have access to the meetings of the Committees. First in preference is television, followed by YouTube and Facebook.
Improvement is required
The findings of the survey also demonstrate the need to improve and modernize the way the Committees of the House operate. 46% of the respondents to the survey said they were «a little satisfied» with the work of the Parliamentary Committees to date and 12% "not at all satisfied". A percentage of 36% say they are "quite satisfied" but only 2% say they are "very satisfied". It is also indicative that about half of the people aged 18-44 said that they are slightly satisfied with the work of the Committees.
It is also estimated that with the live broadcast of the sessions of the Parliamentary Committees, a greater number of citizens will be aware of the issues being discussed, since the survey revealed that today 42% of citizens know them to a small extent and only 9% know them to a large extent. Similarly, among young people aged 18-24, a total of 62% said that they are not aware of the issues that are under discussion.
Transparency and culture of participation
"We believe that the live broadcasting of the debates in the Parliamentary Committees will enhance transparency and the cultivation of a culture of participation in the political events of the country in combination with the recent bill that regulated lobbying, at a time when the institutions, including the Parliament, have lost the trust of the citizens and are in most cases treated with obsolescence", comments Dr. Nikolas Kyriakides, co-founder of Zenox Public Affairs.
Indeed, when asked to what extent you trust the institutions, only 6% answered that they fully trust the Parliament. 39% answered that they probably trust it while 31% answered that they probably do not trust it and 24% that they do not trust it at all.
"The impression has been created that work is not produced in the Parliament, a finding that is wrong but unfortunately has prevailed in public opinion. In essence, the Parliament produces work in the meetings of the Committees and their live broadcast will highlight the action of the MPs who compose them since they deal weekly with important issues that concern and affect the whole of society, either directly or indirectly", explains Mr. Kyriakides.
This is an upgrade that might change the opinion of the citizens in relation to the competences of the Parliament for the better. Today, citizens evaluate the House of Representatives in relation to the submission of Draft Laws with 4.98 out of 10, in relation to Legislative Work with 4.93 out of 10, in relation to the procedures of study and approval of the State Budget with 4.79 out of 10 and in relation to the control of the Presidency with 4.64 out of 10.
The citizens took a clear position after 65% of the respondents said that they would like more access to the debates of the Parliament, a percentage that among young people aged 18-24 exceeds 70%.
Research Identity
Conducted by: IMR/University of Nicosia
Commissioned by: Zenox Public Affairs Ltd
Coverage: Pancyprian, Urban and Rural areas
Sample size: 1000 people
Sample features: Men and Women 18+ years old
Sample Selection: Random Stratified Sampling
Data Collection: Telephone interviews using a structured questionnaire
Statistical error: +/- 3.1
Degree of certainty: 95%
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