POLITICAL REFORMS A democracy can only be strong and alive if all three pillars of the state are separated and fully independent, i.e. the executive (Government), the legislative (Parliament) and the judiciary. In the institutional setting of Botswana, Parliament is the weakest of the three pillars. In this programme area FES falls the support to Parliament. The cooperation is aimed at increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of Parliament with special regard to its legislative and monitoring functions. In 2002 FES initiated a comprehensive study to elaborate concrete recommendations as to how to reform Parliamentary procedures and to increase the independence of Parliament. The implementation of the study is still pending. Other programmes, such as “Parliamentary Briefings” focus on the capacity building for Parliamentarians. A training workshop on “National Leadership” was conducted in cooperation with the SADC Parliamentary Forum in January 2007. Another important partner in the strengthening of democratic institutions is the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), established in 1997 as "an autonomous non-partisan body whose primary purpose is to conduct free, fair and correct elections efficiently and effectively in accordance with the best electoral principles and practices". FES Botswana started cooperating with the IEC shortly after the 1999 elections, which were characterised by a very low voter turnout. With the support of FES, a comprehensive study upon "Voter Apathy" was conducted. The results of the report were published in 2002 and have since then been the basis of a lively debate. Special concern was given to the fact that particularly young people and women abstained from voting in large numbers. The focus of co-operation with the IEC lies on activities to increase participation of eligible voters; first in the registration process and then in the actual casting of votes. In the preparations of elections in 2004 for the first time actors of society such as religious organisations, as well as youth organisations, women's organisations and political parties have participated in workshops, seminars and campaigns to address the problem of voter apathy. In 2008 activities focused on the upcoming 2009 elections. With the Democracy Research Project (DRP) of the University of Botswana as partner the regular “Democracy Forum” addresses university students and the general public in open debates on topics such as electoral reform, coalition politics, reform of democratic institutions etc. 2005 marked the 40th anniversary of Democracy in Botswana – as well as the 80th anniversary of FES. In September 2005, this outstanding success of democratic stability in an otherwise much more volatile regional and continental environment was celebrated in a big symposium, open by H.E President Festus Mogae. A book on the subject was published with the DRP and launched during the symposium. Top of the page
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