Parli

Parli is the common nickname for Parliamentary Debate, a debate format modeled loosely on procedures of the British House of Commons. Two teams — the Government (or Proposition) and the Opposition — argue a resolution announced shortly before the round, typically with 15–20 minutes of preparation and no pre-written cases or evidence cards permitted during the debate itself.

The structure varies by circuit, but a standard round in the American NPDA (National Parliamentary Debate Association) college format features six speeches: Prime Minister Constructive, Leader of Opposition Constructive, Member of Government, Member of Opposition, Leader of Opposition Rebuttal, and Prime Minister Rebuttal. High school NPDL and TOC parli rounds use similar structures with shorter speech times. British Parliamentary (BP) — used at the World Universities Debating Championship — instead features four teams of two competing simultaneously across Opening Government, Opening Opposition, Closing Government, and Closing Opposition benches.

Distinctive conventions include:

• Points of Information (POIs): brief interjections an opposing speaker may offer mid-speech, which the speaker can accept or wave off.
• Points of Order and Points of Personal Privilege, borrowed from parliamentary procedure.
• Addressing the judge as "Mr./Madam Speaker".
• Resolutions spanning policy ("This House would abolish the UN Security Council veto"), value, and fact claims, sometimes including metaphorical or "tight-link" resolutions requiring interpretation.

Parli contrasts sharply with Policy Debate and Lincoln-Douglas, which permit extensive pre-round research and evidence reading. Because parli rewards general knowledge, rhetorical clarity, and quick analytical framing over card-cutting, it is popular among IR students and Model UN delegates, who often find the skills — rapid issue analysis, extemporaneous argument, and structured rebuttal — directly transferable to caucusing and moderated debate in committee.