Today I Decide (TOM) Nele Leosk e-Governance Academy (eGA) Skopje, November 30, 2007

TOM - Government Initiative Main idea – to enhance public participation in political decision-making providing opportunity to propose and discuss new legislative initiatives via Internet Also- to enhance dialogue between citizens, public officials, etc Started in June, 2001 Administrated by State Chancellery Promoted as Direct Democracy Portal

Main idea – to enhance public participation in political decision-making providing opportunity to propose and discuss new legislative initiatives via Internet

Also- to enhance dialogue between citizens, public officials, etc

Started in June, 2001

Administrated by State Chancellery

Promoted as Direct Democracy Portal

TOM - Two modes of operation Policy documents presented for discussion by ministries (functioned just 2 months, from 2008 under e-participation portal again) Proposals submitted by people Only regist ered users can submit proposals and participate in discussions Everybody can follow discussions

Policy documents presented for discussion by ministries (functioned just 2 months, from 2008 under e-participation portal again)

Proposals submitted by people

Only regist ered users can submit proposals and participate in discussions

Everybody can follow discussions

Processing ideas Idea is presented 1 0 days for commenting, discussion 3 days for editing 3 days for secret voting Only ideas getting more than half of votes in favour are considered further Ministry has 1 month for analysis and answer Answer is posted on TOM

Idea is presented

1 0 days for commenting, discussion

3 days for editing

3 days for secret voting

Only ideas getting more than half of votes in favour are considered further

Ministry has 1 month for analysis and answer

Answer is posted on TOM

TOM statistics 1 140 ideas presented (64% voted in, 34 % voted out) 654 proposals sent to the ministries (89% answered: 6% possible implementation, 48% negative, 7% supportive) 6 910 regist ered users 100-150 visits per day (up to 300 when mentioned elsewere, eg in blogs, forums, etc) 7 proposals applied Introduction of summer time Wireless internet signs Estonian anthem downloadable from the Internet

1 140 ideas presented (64% voted in, 34 % voted out)

654 proposals sent to the ministries (89% answered: 6% possible implementation, 48% negative, 7% supportive)

6 910 regist ered users

100-150 visits per day (up to 300 when mentioned elsewere, eg in blogs, forums, etc)

7 proposals applied

Introduction of summer time

Wireless internet signs

Estonian anthem downloadable from the Internet

Visits to TOM

New users of TOM (registered)

New ideas

Positive sides of TOM Possibility to rise political issues Obligation of state administration to respond Communication between users (possibility to form an idea together) Communication with state administration Everybody can follow proposals and discussions

Possibility to rise political issues

Obligation of state administration to respond

Communication between users (possibility to form an idea together)

Communication with state administration

Everybody can follow proposals and discussions

Problems of TOM Many non-constructive proposals Passive discussions Low level of the idea author’s ivolvement (35% participate in later phases) Few votes Small number of active users No publicity, buzz Rejection of proposals by state administration on formal grounds Little dialogue between citizen s and political decision makers Few ideas implemented

Many non-constructive proposals

Passive discussions

Low level of the idea author’s ivolvement (35% participate in later phases)

Few votes

Small number of active users

No publicity, buzz

Rejection of proposals by state administration on formal grounds

Little dialogue between citizen s and political decision makers

Few ideas implemented

Mobilising citizens Has to be advertised permanently in the Internet and other media a system of email or RSS notification linking authors and discussants is necessary to improve the quality and quantity of discussion of generated ideas database of ideas to signal previous attempts to address a problem and make it easier to mobilize users tracing the progress of the ideas once they have been delivered to the government

Has to be advertised permanently in the Internet and other media

a system of email or RSS notification linking authors and discussants is necessary to improve the quality and quantity of discussion of generated ideas

database of ideas to signal previous attempts to address a problem and make it easier to mobilize users

tracing the progress of the ideas once they have been delivered to the government

Increasing legislative impact ideas should also be circulated to a wider network of interested parties, including parliamentary committees, political parties and NGOs connect users to outside sources of information to help the drafting and commenting of ideas (legislation, etc) Indicat ion of the policy priorities of government ministries revise and resubmit ideas that have received a negative answer from the relevant government ministry

ideas should also be circulated to a wider network of interested parties, including parliamentary committees, political parties and NGOs

connect users to outside sources of information to help the drafting and commenting of ideas (legislation, etc)

Indicat ion of the policy priorities of government ministries

revise and resubmit ideas that have received a negative answer from the relevant government ministry

THANK YOU! nele @ega.ee +372 55 61 71 53

THANK YOU!

nele @ega.ee

+372 55 61 71 53