ABSTRACT
Notions of 'democracy and 'democratic accountability' are complex and contested. However, there is no doubt that the development and effective operation of parliamentary institutions are critical issues for democratic societies. This is true for security issues and the 'security sector', 1 as it is for all other sectors such as education, health, trade and the environment. In many democratic countries, national parliaments have had relatively weak oversight or control over military and other security policies and programmes. In recent years, there have been determined and moderately successful efforts to strengthen the role of parliaments in these issue areas, both in established democratic countries and in transition countries, such as in Latin America, Eastern Europe and the area of the former Soviet Union. 2 Over the same period, multilateral coalitions and institutions have become increasingly central for security policies and operations. Since the end of the Cold War the United Nations (UN), North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), European Union (EU), Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and several other regional organisations have become actively engaged in a range of military and police operations and interventions. 3
