Important Facts Surrounding Political Accountability

By Esther Salazar


Political accountability is a term referring to the liability of civil servants, the government and its politicians whether to the legislative body comprised of parliament and congress, or the public body. In leadership terms, political accountability involves the assumption and the acknowledgment of responsibilities for products, policies, actions and decisions. Such includes the governance, administration and implementation within the degree of position or role.

There are certain instances where a recall election will be called for to revoke the office of an elected official. This happens very rarely though since voters do not generally have the direct means to pass on to elected representatives the responsibility for the terms they got elected. Moreover, there are times when legislators and officials will not be elected but rather, appointed.

What provides legislative bodies the power to hold into account the government in its entirety, including the government bodies and its members are statutes or constitutions. This can be exercised through holding internal inquiries. Inquiries are usually held as responses to allegations of government misconduct or corruption.

The sanctions, procedures and powers following the inquiries will often vary between countries. Legislatures may possess the power and right to impeach the responsible individuals, suspend them for a specific time period or ultimately remove them from office permanently. Accused individuals will also be given the chance to resign prior to the trial. In the US, impeachments are commonly used for civil offices like district court judges or for faulty elected representatives.

In a parliamentary system, a government can rely on the parliament itself or to its subsequent supporters. They can help provide power to have the government held accountable for its actions. For instance, a parliament can call for the passing of votes stating that they do not have confidence in their own government anymore.

Some studies have been conducted that resulted to findings proving how complex it truly is to provide citizens the empowerment necessary to hold governments accountable. What made it easier to understand the complex dynamics between states and citizens was the development of clearer processes. These also generated positive change within groups, individuals and communities. Fusing of tools that resulted to outcome mapping also contributed to the advancement.

The performance of governments will usually be reflected on how countrymen hold their politicians responsible for their actions. Three factors are known to be the bases for the extent of political control public officials hold. First is the regular elections which promote a sense of disciplining politicians. The risk of getting booted out of office can compel any policy maker to properly carry out their obligations and respond to voter interests.

The knowledge of citizens is another factor to consider. This actually is just as necessary as the first basis. Public knowledge will help curb chances of politicians to consider corruption as well as improper management. Having citizens that are well-informed on laws and rights will lessen the likelihood of political personalities to engage in dirty work.

The third basis for political accountability revolves around the existence of wise electorates. This is most beneficial to countries that have been upholding a democratic setting. Well-informed electorates are more likely to see through different government performance levels and assess whether or not malicious activities were indeed engaged in.




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