ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the processes that unfold after Members of Parliament (MPs) collect constituency questions through different mechanisms, the main one being constituency visits. To ensure substantive change in policy and practice, MPs are expected to conduct oversight of the work of the executive branch and pressure fellow MPs and standing committees to advocate for legislation. The executive branch, which is mainly composed of key political party leaders, understand MPs’ role as key decision-makers in legislation yet subordinate in party command structures. At the federal level, the executive branch has the responsibility for leading and guiding the parliament and disciplining its members when necessary. At the local level (especially during constituency visits), the local executive cadre has the responsibility of facilitating constituency work; controlling modalities of the constituency visits, being sometimes able to sabotage these visits using various means at its disposal. Most importantly, the executive branch at the federal level has various tools at its disposal: control of local executives, distribution of limited executive positions, responses to constituency demands and the future careers of the parliamentarians. This chapter discusses how MPs manoeuvre these immensely complex party and government relationships.
