By Fatou Jaw Manneh Diaspora Voting and Parliamentary Representation in the WorldContrary to the position of the 25 Gambians NAMs who rejected diaspora voting backed by the Justice Minister and the IEC, the practice of diaspora voting is nothing new. Several countries around the world do not only ensure that their diaspora vote in national elections, but they also reserve seats in their parliaments for citizens abroad. To allocate such diaspora seats in the parliament is also not rocket science nor difficult as some try to make us believe. Here is a compilation of some of the countries where they have allocated a number of seats for their diaspora based on regions. If these countries can do this, how can it be so difficult for the Gambia Government, the National Assembly and the IEC to also do the same? 1. CAPA VERDE. There are 6 members of parliament representing Cape Verdean citizens abroad: two each from the Americas, the rest of Africa and Europe.2. ECUADOR. There are 6 parliamentary seats reserved for the diaspora: two are for Europe, Asia and Oceania constituencies; two from the United States and Canada; and two from Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa.3. IVORY COAST. The Constitution under Article 30 guarantees the participation of Ivorians abroad in ‘the life of the nation’ including voting, while Article 87 introduces diaspora representation4. LEBANON. The Lebanese electoral law of 2017 has allocated 6 parliamentary seats to the diaspora.5. MOLDOVA. 6 parliamentary seats are allocated to the diaspora. In 2019, the government created and elected individual representatives for 14 electoral constituencies for the diaspora for the national parliamentary election.6. NIGER. There are 5 members of parliament to represent Nigerians citizens abroad: one per continent.7. SENEGAL. Senegal has a proud record of enabling diaspora civic and political participation. In addition to diaspora overseas voting, the National Assembly dedicates 15 of its 165 parliamentary seats for Senegalese abroad. In order for these new MPs to be elected, eight new constituencies have been created: two in Europe, one in the Americas, one in Asia and the Middle East, and four others in North, West, Central and Southern Africa.8. TUNISIA. The electoral law amended in 2014 grants Tunisians abroad the right to become representatives in the Assembly, and the right for dual nationals to become President. The number of diaspora representatives in the Tunisian parliament is proportional to the size of the diaspora, which makes Tunisia unique in this regard. In 2015, the Gambian opposition submitted 12 demands to the Government for electoral reform. The first demand is about the franchise in which they strongly argued that Gambians abroad should be allowed to vote as a matter of fundamental constitutional rights. Ten years today, the Executive, Legislature, political parties and the IEC combined continue to fail to make diaspora voting a reality! The tragedy of this country, not just from 2017 and even 1994 but going back to 1965, is that our leaders and public officials have not taken the life of the country with the seriousness required by law and their job description. Otherwise, how is diaspora voting a difficult matter to solve? This is a practice that has been taking place in the world for decades. Even equally impoverished countries like Guinea Bissau, Mali, Mauritania or Guinea Conakry ensure that their diaspora vote. How can that be so difficult for the Gambia Government for the past 20 years? But this is the very malaise afflicting this country since Independence. Look at every sector, and it is the same slow and lackluster attitude where they take things easy-easy while time is going, and resources are spent. If they build a road or a hospital or classroom block or inaugurate a power station, they jump and shout as if they have taken the country to Heaven. For The Gambia, Our HomelandCourtesy of Coalition For System Change.