Article courtesy of E-government Bulletin:
E-Democracy Champion with an Iron Constitution by Dan Jellinek.
The web site of senior French politician Andre Santini(http://www.andre-santini.net) declares: "Andre Santini has roundedthe decisive cape of his sixtieth year. Despite his great age, he stillpossesses a generous stature and an iron constitution." Further down,after citing his senior ministerial achievements, the site notes thatSantini's record represents "A suitable legacy to satisfy his ego -immense!"Few politicians are brave enough to take a tongue-in-cheek approach totheir personal biographies, but Santini is at home using the informalmedium of the web, being one of Europe's leading e-democracypioneers. He is the mayor of the Paris suburb Issy-les-Moulineaux(http://www.issy.com - English site athttp://www.issy.com/Rub.cfm?Esp=1&Rub=19), which since the mid-1990s he has striven to transform into a global exemplar of e-government and e-democracy.Today, Issy residents can watch council meetings on the web,addressing questions to councillors by email; a Citizen's Panel of 750residents is surveyed every three months online on local issues; thecouncil allows its Conseils de Quartier (neighbourhood councils) tohave direct input into the spending of 10 per cent of the city's budgetthrough online consultation; and there is internet voting for election tothe neighbourhood councils.Santini is also co-president of the internet, ICT and e-commerceworking group of the French Assemblee Nationale, and president ofthe Global Cities Dialogue (http://www.globalcitiesdialogue.org), aworldwide network of cities which aim to create an information societywithout a digital divide and based on sustainable development. Andthis month (29-30 September) sees him hosting the fifth WorldwideForum on e-Democracy (http://fastlink.headstar.com/idem1), an eventfounded by Santini in 2000.In an exclusive interview with E-Government Bulletin ahead of theforum, Santini says the potential of new technologies to impact ondemocratic process has never been greater."For the past year, current events have provided us with new examplesof the impact of new technologies on our daily life, and even more onthe democratic process. From the mobilisation of public opinion inSpain by SMS after the terrorist attacks of 11 March that challengedthe official version of the party in power and led to its defeat in thegeneral elections, to the overwhelming victory in South Korea of theparty of President Roh, brought about by the younger generationmobilised by the internet and cell phones, to the digital photos taken byAmerican soldiers in Iraq and the Howard Dean phenomenon duringthe American presidential campaign, the impact of technology ondemocracy has demonstrated its potential."In France, regional elections in March and European elections in Junemade it possible to further develop the use of information andcommunication technologies during electoral campaigns. I experiencedthis first-hand and even though I know that we have a long way to goto obtain effective results, I was grateful for the mobilisation potentialthat these tools provided. These elections also made it possible to usevoting machines for the first time in about 20 French cities. Onceagain, this is a stepping stone to internet voting, a system that isaccepted at this time for professional elections such as the oneannounced by the Minister of the Interior at the Worldwide Forum one-Democracy last year. I am convinced that this system can alsocontribute to encouraging voter turnout during general elections and Iam very happy about the French Prime Minister's declaration that thissystem would be implemented for the European elections in 2009."One of Santini's areas of interest is the relationship between theinternet and human rights, and in 2000 he formed a group to write apaper on the topic, the "Livre blanc sur les droits de l'hommenumérique" (White paper on the rights of digital man). He still feelsstrongly that the rights of internet users must be protected, "now morethan ever before. Mail tampering, cybercrime, violation of basic humanrights, attacks on freedom of expression . . . every day brings a newburning debate and more unanswered questions."Now, with the white paper, we hope to make our contribution to thenational debate and would like to see it extended beyond our borders.The question is not one of regulating the internet, a world network thatis the modern symbol of freedom of expression. On the contrary, it is aquestion of strengthening human rights on the networks by protectingthe anonymity of the users and by extending their rights to use digitalnetworks as they wish and in total freedom."The risks of crime and violations of rights will only increase with thegreater use of mobile technologies, Santini says. "All governmentstoday are sensitive to cybercrime. But their legitimate concern topunish the perpetrators of these acts is juxtaposed to the no lesslegitimate demand of citizens to maintain their privacy."But mobile technologies will also open up huge opportunities forboosting democracy, potentially even more than the internet, he says."The cell phone has conquered the planet in just ten years: more thanone person out of five owns this little device today and its functions gofar beyond that of the traditional telephone. It is certainly thetechnology that has undergone the biggest boom in history, with 20 percent worldwide penetration rate in one decade, far ahead of electricity,stationary telephones, the television and the computer. Even thoughgrowth is slowing down in Europe, the US and Japan where more thantwo-thirds of the population own a cell phone, it is exponential inChina, India and in Russia where the number of new customers morethan doubled in 2003."The world of politics cannot ignore this new channel ofcommunication with its citizens. Sending an SMS to inform peopleabout a local event, a weather alert or the arrival of an administrativedocument has become commonplace for the many inhabitants of ourmodern cities. The use of cell phones to access everyday services, suchas paying for parking, is growing. In Europe, cities like Helsinki,Bremen and Issy-les-Moulineaux are testing these new services."I also clearly remember the mobilisation of Spanish public opinionafter the terrorist attacks of 11 March in Madrid. How could such amobilisation have taken place without cell phones? The developmentof citizen participation by cell phone may even have more of an impacton political life several years down the road than that of internet on thecomputer."Ultimately, Santini is optimistic about the outcome for democracy. "Iam convinced that our democracy, incomplete by nature, will receivenew impetus through the new technologies, even if we are all awarethat technology is not a panacea and that we must still work on the realcauses of the democratic deficit that affects all Western countries."With better educated and better informed citizens, we will undergo apeaceful revolution that will make it possible to share decision-makingand to take the opinions of all of our citizens into account."
E-Democracy Champion with an Iron Constitution by Dan Jellinek.
The web site of senior French politician Andre Santini(http://www.andre-santini.net) declares: "Andre Santini has roundedthe decisive cape of his sixtieth year. Despite his great age, he stillpossesses a generous stature and an iron constitution." Further down,after citing his senior ministerial achievements, the site notes thatSantini's record represents "A suitable legacy to satisfy his ego -immense!"Few politicians are brave enough to take a tongue-in-cheek approach totheir personal biographies, but Santini is at home using the informalmedium of the web, being one of Europe's leading e-democracypioneers. He is the mayor of the Paris suburb Issy-les-Moulineaux(http://www.issy.com - English site athttp://www.issy.com/Rub.cfm?Esp=1&Rub=19), which since the mid-1990s he has striven to transform into a global exemplar of e-government and e-democracy.Today, Issy residents can watch council meetings on the web,addressing questions to councillors by email; a Citizen's Panel of 750residents is surveyed every three months online on local issues; thecouncil allows its Conseils de Quartier (neighbourhood councils) tohave direct input into the spending of 10 per cent of the city's budgetthrough online consultation; and there is internet voting for election tothe neighbourhood councils.Santini is also co-president of the internet, ICT and e-commerceworking group of the French Assemblee Nationale, and president ofthe Global Cities Dialogue (http://www.globalcitiesdialogue.org), aworldwide network of cities which aim to create an information societywithout a digital divide and based on sustainable development. Andthis month (29-30 September) sees him hosting the fifth WorldwideForum on e-Democracy (http://fastlink.headstar.com/idem1), an eventfounded by Santini in 2000.In an exclusive interview with E-Government Bulletin ahead of theforum, Santini says the potential of new technologies to impact ondemocratic process has never been greater."For the past year, current events have provided us with new examplesof the impact of new technologies on our daily life, and even more onthe democratic process. From the mobilisation of public opinion inSpain by SMS after the terrorist attacks of 11 March that challengedthe official version of the party in power and led to its defeat in thegeneral elections, to the overwhelming victory in South Korea of theparty of President Roh, brought about by the younger generationmobilised by the internet and cell phones, to the digital photos taken byAmerican soldiers in Iraq and the Howard Dean phenomenon duringthe American presidential campaign, the impact of technology ondemocracy has demonstrated its potential."In France, regional elections in March and European elections in Junemade it possible to further develop the use of information andcommunication technologies during electoral campaigns. I experiencedthis first-hand and even though I know that we have a long way to goto obtain effective results, I was grateful for the mobilisation potentialthat these tools provided. These elections also made it possible to usevoting machines for the first time in about 20 French cities. Onceagain, this is a stepping stone to internet voting, a system that isaccepted at this time for professional elections such as the oneannounced by the Minister of the Interior at the Worldwide Forum one-Democracy last year. I am convinced that this system can alsocontribute to encouraging voter turnout during general elections and Iam very happy about the French Prime Minister's declaration that thissystem would be implemented for the European elections in 2009."One of Santini's areas of interest is the relationship between theinternet and human rights, and in 2000 he formed a group to write apaper on the topic, the "Livre blanc sur les droits de l'hommenumérique" (White paper on the rights of digital man). He still feelsstrongly that the rights of internet users must be protected, "now morethan ever before. Mail tampering, cybercrime, violation of basic humanrights, attacks on freedom of expression . . . every day brings a newburning debate and more unanswered questions."Now, with the white paper, we hope to make our contribution to thenational debate and would like to see it extended beyond our borders.The question is not one of regulating the internet, a world network thatis the modern symbol of freedom of expression. On the contrary, it is aquestion of strengthening human rights on the networks by protectingthe anonymity of the users and by extending their rights to use digitalnetworks as they wish and in total freedom."The risks of crime and violations of rights will only increase with thegreater use of mobile technologies, Santini says. "All governmentstoday are sensitive to cybercrime. But their legitimate concern topunish the perpetrators of these acts is juxtaposed to the no lesslegitimate demand of citizens to maintain their privacy."But mobile technologies will also open up huge opportunities forboosting democracy, potentially even more than the internet, he says."The cell phone has conquered the planet in just ten years: more thanone person out of five owns this little device today and its functions gofar beyond that of the traditional telephone. It is certainly thetechnology that has undergone the biggest boom in history, with 20 percent worldwide penetration rate in one decade, far ahead of electricity,stationary telephones, the television and the computer. Even thoughgrowth is slowing down in Europe, the US and Japan where more thantwo-thirds of the population own a cell phone, it is exponential inChina, India and in Russia where the number of new customers morethan doubled in 2003."The world of politics cannot ignore this new channel ofcommunication with its citizens. Sending an SMS to inform peopleabout a local event, a weather alert or the arrival of an administrativedocument has become commonplace for the many inhabitants of ourmodern cities. The use of cell phones to access everyday services, suchas paying for parking, is growing. In Europe, cities like Helsinki,Bremen and Issy-les-Moulineaux are testing these new services."I also clearly remember the mobilisation of Spanish public opinionafter the terrorist attacks of 11 March in Madrid. How could such amobilisation have taken place without cell phones? The developmentof citizen participation by cell phone may even have more of an impacton political life several years down the road than that of internet on thecomputer."Ultimately, Santini is optimistic about the outcome for democracy. "Iam convinced that our democracy, incomplete by nature, will receivenew impetus through the new technologies, even if we are all awarethat technology is not a panacea and that we must still work on the realcauses of the democratic deficit that affects all Western countries."With better educated and better informed citizens, we will undergo apeaceful revolution that will make it possible to share decision-makingand to take the opinions of all of our citizens into account."
posted by Geoff @ 6:33 AM
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