#23 What it means to fulfill a mandate
Introduction
The phrase "fulfilling a mandate" (futaku ni kotaeru) seems to mean "diligently carrying out the responsibilities and expectations entrusted to one by the people and rewarding that trust." When broken down, the meanings of the individual terms are as follows:
Mandate (futaku): Entrusting someone with the responsibility to handle or resolve matters. In particular, it refers to citizens or residents delegating political or specific authority to their representatives.
Fulfill/Respond (kotaeru): Acting in accordance with the expectations, demands, or trust of others.
Politicians often use this during election campaigns, saying, "In order to fulfill the mandate of all our voters, I will devote my heart and soul to my duties."
So, what exactly is legislative activity that fulfills a mandate? I would like to share my own thoughts on this.
What is legislative activity that fulfills a mandate?
For a local assembly member, fulfilling a mandate does not simply mean attending assembly meetings and participating in majority votes; I believe it means fulfilling the heavy responsibility of "solving regional issues and creating the future" as a representative of the residents.
To achieve this, I believe it is necessary to continuously cycle through the following four specific activities.
1. Walking the ground and gathering diverse "public opinion" (Listening activity)
It is not just about the collective voices of certain groups or organizations; picking up on the worries residents face in their daily lives and the so-called "voices of the voiceless" is the starting point for everything. Rather than just driving past, walking the region on your own two feet and engaging in direct dialogue with individuals is essential to feeling the real issues on the ground firsthand. A common sight in legislative activity is visiting facilities or showing one's face at festivals and events, but what is truly required is participating in these facilities, festivals, and events, talking with participants, and feeling the issues on the ground firsthand.
2. Checking the administration and making specific "policy proposals" (Questioning/Creating activity)
Based on the voices entrusted by residents, it is also necessary to strictly and objectively monitor whether the administration is moving in the right direction and whether tax money is being used effectively. However, mere criticism or requests are meaningless. By utilizing a deep understanding and knowledge of administrative mechanisms and systems, and through means such as "general questions" in the assembly, proposing constructive and feasible solutions (policies) yourself is what is required.
3. Accurate "decision-making" on budgets and ordinances (Deciding activity)
Regarding budget proposals and ordinance bills submitted by the head of the local government (mayor, town mayor, etc.), one must deliberate from multiple perspectives and make a decision on approval or disapproval based on whether it truly benefits the residents and is a sustainable choice for the future of the region. This is the heaviest authority granted to an assembly member, and I believe it is a situation where a strong sense of responsibility and ethics is tested. Naturally, the judgment of approval or disapproval should be based on the "Walking the ground and gathering diverse 'public opinion' (Listening activity)" activity as the "judgment criteria."
4. "Activity reports" to residents and continuing dialogue (Communicating activity)
What was discussed and decided in the assembly? And how did I think, act, and judge? I believe there is an obligation (accountability) to explain this to residents in an easy-to-understand manner, including not just the results but also the reasons. In particular, there may be judgments that differ from the sentiments gathered during the "Walking the ground and gathering diverse 'public opinion' (Listening activity)" activity. In such cases, without an explanation that includes the reasons, residents will not be able to feel a sense of "conviction." There are various ways to communicate this; not only through public relations magazines issued by the assembly, but also by continuing to disseminate information in your own words through reports from political organizations (support groups), articles on blogs or social media, and reporting through direct dialogue. Always keeping activities open to residents is what leads to the next trust (mandate).
The very attitude of sincerely continuing to practice these four pillars (Listening -> Creating -> Deciding -> Communicating) without being bound by ties is what can be called "legislative activity that fulfills a mandate."
Fulfilling the mandate of the voters through both assembly activities and legislative activities. I believe that becoming
a member who is a representative of the residents in a dual representation system means that one must bear responsibility along with authority.