Measuring Legislative Activity during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Introducing the ParlAct and ParlTech Indexes

Abstract

English Abstract: This research note introduces two novel indexes designed to measure legislative activity (ParlAct) and use of digital devices to maintain legislative functions (ParlTech) during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also introduce a novel comprehensive dataset on the functioning of legislatures during a critical period of the pandemic, providing scores of 152 domestic legislatures on both ParlAct and ParlTech indexes. Finally, we argue that both indexes could also serve as templates for future research on legislative activity during other pandemics, crises and contingencies.

Keywords: COVID-19; coronavirus; legislatures; parliaments; legislative activity; crisis; index