Governance: Political finance

To what extent do relevant laws, regulations, policies, and guidance provide a basis for collecting and publishing data on campaign and party finance?

DefinitionsResearch GuidanceQuestion sub-componentsIndicator Justification

Definitions and Identification

This indicator examines frameworks that require political parties and political campaigns—whether run by candidates or third parties (that is, non-contestants who seek to influence the election result)—to disclose information about how they raise and spend money. Financial support may come from various sources, including donations, membership fees, and public funding.

This indicator is based on the presence and strength of legislation, regulations, or policies that govern whether:

• Party and campaign finance data is collected and maintained as structured, open data across the whole country.

• Financial disclosures contain structured data on income, spending, assets, and debts.

• Financial disclosures are updated in a timely fashion; this includes both regular updates and updates that are responsive to campaign-based schedules.

• Financial disclosures are published.

• A mandate is given to an independent agency or institution to examine financial reports and/or investigate violations.

Examples

• Estonia's Political Parties Act requires detailed reporting of expenses in financial statements, including advertising, public relations, publications, and public events. Each expense must include the date, receipt number, recipient's name and ID, type, price, and amount. Political parties, election coalitions, and candidates must submit a report on election campaign expenses to the Political Party Funding Supervision Committee within one month of election day. The report is published on the Committee's website.

• Italy's Law No. 3/2019 requires political parties, movements, and lists participating in elections for municipalities with over 15,000 inhabitants to record and publish yearly contributions exceeding €500. The online report must detail total contributions, donor identities, and amounts, as well as total expenses and their nature. These reports must be publicly accessible (Article 11 and Article 8 of Law No. 2/1997).

One of the sub-questions for this indicator asks about requirements for collecting information on the use of state resources in campaigning activities and its reimbursement; in some cases, you may find these located in a separate law or in the public administration code.

Note: This indicator pairs with a related indicator that assesses availability of political finance data in order to compare frameworks and actual practice. While completing each one, you will likely discover further information that will help answer the sub-questions of the other, so it is suggested that you work on the pair together.

Starting points

• Sources:

  • The IDEA Political Finance Database provides information on bans, public spending, regulation, and oversight mechanisms, with sources listed beneath questions; this longstanding database covers more than 180 countries. It includes links for regulations that can also help you identify the country's relevant agency or agencies.

  • For countries in Europe, the EuroPAM database lists relevant laws and provides overviews of relevant bans, public spending, regulation, and oversight mechanisms; the database currently includes 34 countries. This section of the database was last updated in 2017.

  • The V-Dem Database, which covers 202 countries, includes a question, "Disclosure of campaign donations" (v2eldonate) that overlaps with part of this indicator; countries' answers can provide a useful starting point.

• Search:

  • For recent updates to party and campaign finance laws in the country.

  • The website(s) of the country's political finance agency or agencies for details of how they collect and manage data, and the basis of this in law or regulation; relevant agencies vary across countries, common ones include registrars of political donations and election commissions.

  • For examples of current forms used to register financial disclosures of parties and campaigns.

  • For political finance databases constructed by journalists or country-relevant NGOs that coordinate multiple streams of political finance data; among other information, these may contain details on known gaps in the country's laws or regulations.

• Consult:

  • Investigative journalists who focus on corruption and integrity issues in the country.

  • Local officials of civil society organizations focused on transparency and accountability in governance.

  • Elected officials, party staff members, or people who have recently worked on political campaigns.

What to look for?

Look for evidence that can answer the following questions:

• Is the framework for disclosure and verification of campaign and party finance data provided for in law, regulation, policy, or guidance?

• Does the framework provide unambiguous definitions of campaigning activities by political parties, candidates, and third parties or non-contestants? Are there notable inconsistencies? Vagueness? Is what constitutes a campaigning activity for each group clear?

• Does the framework require publication of identifying information about donors? If so, does this include all donors or only some? Is information published as summary or in specific detail that links donors to their donations?

• What does the framework cover? Does it include not only assets and liabilities, but also income and spending details? Does it cover both financial contributions and in-kind and non-financial contributions? Does it cover use of state resources—for example, vehicles or time—and their reimbursement?

• Does the framework empower an agency or official to ensure the accurate and timely collection and publication of required data? Does it require a verification process?

• Does the framework specify that information should be updated in a manner that is not only at regular intervals but is also timely and responsive to campaign activities?

Show/hide supporting questions

Existence

• Are there laws, policies, or regulations requiring collection of this information in any form?

  • No.
  • They are being drafted, or are not yet implemented.

    Supporting questions: Please provide brief details.If the framework exists only in draft form, please provide the date of any relevant drafts.Please provide a URL(s) for where evidence can be found.

  • They exist and are operational.

    Supporting questions: Please provide brief details.Please provide a URL(s) for where evidence can be found.

• Are there laws, policies, or regulations requiring publication of this information in any form?

  • No.
  • They are being drafted, or are not yet implemented.

    Supporting questions: Please provide brief details.If the framework exists only in draft form, please provide the date of any relevant drafts.Please provide a URL(s) for where evidence can be found.

  • They exist and are operational.

    Supporting questions: Please provide brief details.Please provide a URL(s) for where evidence can be found.

• Extent of existence:

• How comprehensive, in terms of jurisdiction, is the coverage of the framework assessed for this question? (The framework covers one or more localities, but there are many other localities without such a framework, or with a framework of a lesser quality., The framework covers one or more localities and is representative of the kind of frameworks that can be found for all, or most, localities., The framework provides national coverage.)

  Supporting questions (conditional)

  If The framework covers one or more localities, but there are many other localities without such a framework, or with a framework of a lesser quality. or The framework covers one or more localities and is representative of the kind of frameworks that can be found for all, or most, localities.: Which locality or localities does this framework cover?

  If The framework covers one or more localities, but there are many other localities without such a framework, or with a framework of a lesser quality. or The framework covers one or more localities and is representative of the kind of frameworks that can be found for all, or most, localities.: Please explain your response.

  If The framework covers one or more localities, but there are many other localities without such a framework, or with a framework of a lesser quality. or The framework covers one or more localities and is representative of the kind of frameworks that can be found for all, or most, localities.: Please provide supporting URL(s) as necessary.

• Existence summary:

• Please summarize your answers to the preceding existence sub-questions, including the extent of existence. [Open Text] Drawing on the research you have conducted and the evidence you have gathered for this section, describe what you have found (or not found) when answering the existence sub-questions for this indicator.

  Supporting questions

  Please provide the URL(s) for the evidence that supports the summary provided.

Elements

• Provisions for definitions, kinds, and fields:

• The framework contains clear and unambiguous definitions of what constitutes campaigning activities for political parties. (No, Partially, Yes)

  Supporting questions (conditional)

  If Partially: Please explain your “Partially” response.

  If Partially or Yes: Please indicate which section of the framework refers to this issue.

• The framework contains clear and unambiguous definitions of what constitutes campaigning activities for candidates. (No, Partially, Yes)

  Supporting questions (conditional)

  If Partially: Please explain your “Partially” response.

  If Partially or Yes: Please indicate which section of the framework refers to this issue.

• The framework contains clear and unambiguous definitions of what constitutes campaigning activities for third parties (i.e., non-contestants who seek to influence the election result). (No, Partially, Yes)

  Supporting questions (conditional)

  If Partially: Please explain your “Partially” response.

  If Partially or Yes: Please indicate which section of the framework refers to this issue.

• The framework requires donors' identities be made public. (No, Partially, Yes) Answer “Yes” if the framework requires the public disclosure of the identity of every donor. Answer “Partially” if the framework only requires public disclosure of the identity of donors who contribute over a defined threshold.

  Supporting questions (conditional)

  If Partially: Please explain your “Partially” response.

  If Partially: If there is a threshold value below which the publication requirements do not apply, please provide the currency and value here (E.g., USD 10000).

  If Partially or Yes: Please indicate which section of the framework refers to this issue.

• The framework requires collecting specific information on financial contributions. (No, Partially, Yes)

  Supporting questions (conditional)

  If Partially: Please explain your “Partially” response.

  If Partially or Yes: Please indicate which section of the framework refers to this issue.

• The framework requires collecting specific information on income and spending. (No, Partially, Yes)

  Supporting questions (conditional)

  If Partially: Please explain your “Partially” response.

  If Partially or Yes: Please indicate which section of the framework refers to this issue.

• The framework requires collecting specific information on assets and liabilities. (No, Partially, Yes)

  Supporting questions (conditional)

  If Partially: Please explain your “Partially” response.

  If Partially or Yes: Please indicate which section of the framework refers to this issue.

• The framework requires collecting specific information on in-kind and non-financial support. (No, Partially, Yes)

  Supporting questions (conditional)

  If Partially: Please explain your “Partially” response.

  If Partially or Yes: Please indicate which section of the framework refers to this issue.

• The framework requires collecting specific information on the use of state resources for campaigning. (No, Partially, Yes) For example, requirements might cover reporting on the use of government vehicles to convey a candidate to campaign events, or time spent campaigning while serving in public office, and how these are reimbursed.

  Supporting questions (conditional)

  If Partially: Please explain your “Partially” response.

  If Partially or Yes: Please indicate which section of the framework refers to this issue.

• Provisions for data quality:

• The framework empowers an agency or official to ensure the accurate and timely collection and publication of required data. (No, Partially, Yes) For example, a framework might establish or resource offices for data verification, grant an agency sanction powers for noncompliance, etc.

  Supporting questions (conditional)

  If Partially: Please explain your “Partially” response.

  If Partially or Yes: Please indicate which section of the framework refers to this issue.

• The framework requires a verification process. (No, Partially, Yes) There are many different kinds of verification processes. Some processes are automated, some involve direct human review, some combine the two. For example, in some cases, data is required from multiple parties engaged in an activity and that data is then cross-verified automatically. In others, a dedicated agency or official has the authority to conduct audits, engaging with other agencies or external parties to verify information received.

  Supporting questions (conditional)

  If Partially or Yes: Please briefly explain the verification process used.

  If Partially: Please explain your “Partially” response, including which parts of the collected data the framework requires to be verified and which parts it does not.

  If Partially or Yes: Please indicate which section of the framework refers to this issue.

• Provisions for collection and access:

• The framework supports the digital collection of data. (No, Partially, Yes) For example, entities submitting information may be required to use digital forms.

  Supporting questions (conditional)

  If Partially: Please explain your “Partially” response.

  If Partially or Yes: Does the framework support the collection of structured data? Please explain your response.

  If Partially or Yes: Please indicate which section of the framework refers to this issue.

• The framework requires regular updates, including updates in conjunction with campaigns and defined campaign schedules. (No, Partially, Yes)

  Supporting questions (conditional)

  If Partially: Please explain your “Partially” response.

  If Partially or Yes: Please indicate which section of the framework refers to this issue.

• The framework discusses public access to the data. (No, Partially, Yes)

  Supporting questions (conditional)

  If Partially: Please explain your “Partially” response.

  If Partially or Yes: Does the framework support the publication of open data? Please explain your response.

  If Partially or Yes: Please indicate which section of the framework refers to this issue.

• Elements summary:

• Please summarize your answers to the preceding element sub-questions. [Open Text] Drawing on the research you have conducted and the evidence you have gathered for this section, describe what you have found (or not found) when answering the element sub-questions for this indicator.

  Supporting questions

  Please provide the URL(s) for the evidence that supports the summary provided.

The United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) calls for transparency regarding the role of money in politics. Transparent campaign and party financing is critical for understanding whose interests shape parties, ballot initiatives, and the decisions of specific public officials. Donating to a politician or political cause is widely considered a form of political participation; however, there is also widespread concern about the effects of money in politics—with particular questions regarding who donates to parties and campaigns, how much, and how that affects political outcomes.

To support political finance transparency efforts, this indicator thus investigates the frameworks countries have in place for collecting and publishing data on campaign and party finance.