We have a democratic and political waste basket in the Danish parliamentary system. It is called 'paragraph 20 questions' to the cabinet ministers. It is an open Q&A session in the parliament that goes on record, in accordance with a paragraph in the Standing Orders of The Folketing (parliament). And a democratic safety valve in case the sitting government misuses power - or simply makes what can be considered to be political mistakes.These §20 questions have grown since the introduction: from 3.811 questions in 2001–02 to 7.125 in 2005–06 at their peak (in particular on issues like the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Danish cartoon crisis). From 2007-08 the questions have again reduced to the 2001 level. In particular the opposition parties of The Red-Green Alliance (Ø), The Social Democrats (S) and The Socialist People's Party (F) are heavy §20 question users - with The Red-Green Alliance as the top scorer. This party’s watch dog members will contest any sitting government, on any issue, any time. And probably the most important party to listen to for the sitting prime minister and the sitting government. To take the questions from. If they realize this or not is uncertain. The party is in effect the democratic balancing pole in Denmark. Not because the party itself is balanced (far from it), but because it ensures balance.
Time and again the current prime minister and the sitting government have complained about the growth of these questions, because it takes important time from the ministers and the ministries to answer them all. This creates an undesirable administrative bureaucray is the protest. Here comes the paradoxical question (if not a §20 one): Isn't there just one way to ensure a reduction of these questions?
For further information about the system of §20 questions:
http://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C2%A7_20-sp%C3%B8rgsm%C3%A5l
For further information about the Danish parliamentary system:
http://www.ft.dk/pdf/parliamentary_system.pdf
For a more elaborate overview of the political scene in Denmark, please see:
http://paradoxicalnews.blogspot.com/2008/10/cliff-notes-to-danish-politics.html