MP Scrape is a Free Software tool that helps the Free Software community easily access up-to-date contact information for MPs to help their advocacy efforts.

Usage

MP Scrape is made up of several projects:

mp_scrape_core, which defines the basic building blocks to create and run workflows/pipelines.
mp_scrape_source_*, which defines the sources (e.g. Bundestag, EU Parliament)
mp_scrape_export_*, which defines different ways to export the data (e.g. CSV, SQLite)

On top of those building blocks, there are projects such as MP Scrape UI and MP Scrape CLI that allow you to directly use these building blocks without having to code.

Using MP Scrape CLI

First of all, you need to install MP Scrape CLI:

$ python3 -m pip install mp_scrape_cli

# On non-UNIX OSes:
$ python -m pip install mp_scrape_cli

After installing MP Scrape CLI, you need a Workflow. You can get some at the Library of Workflows.

With your workflow ready and MP Scrape CLI installed, you can run the following:

$ python3 -m mp_scrape_cli -w <path_to_workflow>

You might get a message like the following, prompting you to install some missing module. Only accept if you trust the module developers.

Module 'mp_scrape_source_euparl' was not found. Would you like to install it now using pip? [y/N]: y

Abstract

It is crucial that hackers, organizations, and activists in the Free Software world can reach out to their representatives about the issues that matter most to them. However, it is often a challenge for individuals and smaller groups to make their interests heard, while larger organizations with vast resources have no trouble getting the attention of policymakers. Unfortunately, the interests of the Free Software community are often overlooked, while these bigger organizations have a louder voice in the political sphere.

MP Scrape is a Free Software project developed by the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE), aimed at leveling the playing field by making it easier for individuals and smaller organizations within the Free Software community to contact their elected officials. By gathering up-to-date and reliable information about Members of Parliament (MPs) across Europe from various sources, MP Scrape helps activists, civil society, and Free Software enthusiasts access accurate and up-to-date contact details for MPs, empowering them to advocate for the causes they care about.