Affiliations: [a] Professor for Political Sience, Department of Civic
Education and Political Research, University of Klagenfurt, Austria. E-mail:
peter.filzmaier@uni-klu.ac.at | [b] Research Assistant, Department of Civic Education and
Political Research, University of Klagenfurt, Austria.
E-mail: kathrin.stainer-haemmerle@uni-klu.ac.at | [c] Professor Emeritus of Public Administration, Erasmus
University, The Netherlands | University of Copenhagen, Denmark | Oxford Internet Institute, UK | University of Klagenfurt, Austria | I.S.C.T.E., Lisbon, Portugal
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author
Abstract: The intensity and quality of political dialogue by representatives
and voters is influenced above all by the way in which representatives use the
Internet. The article analyses and compares the information management of MPs
of the Austrian Nationalrat, the Danish Folketing, and the Dutch Staten
Generaal referring to modes of utilization (frequency, main purposes, content
of mails etc.) of the Internet as well as to its importance for political
communication. From the information collected the following conclusions can be
drawn: - Internet use by MPs has been limited to date because of a relative
lack of knowledge of the technology and the potential of the new media. - The flow of information between representatives as political
elites and the public will not necessarily be improved and/or personalized
through the Internet. - A permanent contact between MPs and their constituency as a form
of political participation for the electorate and/or for party members depends
especially on the Internet strategies of parties in parliament. Only if parties
choose a "bottom-up" or grass root strategy will new technologies be used as
more than just tools for internal communication within the party network.
