123rd ASSEMBLY OF THE INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION AND RELATED MEETINGS

Geneva, 3-7 October 2010

Transparency and accountability

in the funding of political parties and election campaigns

PANEL DISCUSSION 

Senator Marian Iulian RASALIU

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Romanian IPU Group

Mr. President,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for giving me the floor.

Public mistrust in political parties is a common feature in our societies. It derives to a great extent from the lack of transparency in how and where parties receive and use money, a subject highly debated especially during electoral campaigns. 

In Romania we have a special law in this area: the Law on the Financing of Political Parties’ Activities and of Electoral Campaigns. Its basic principles are to ensure a level playing field of competition among all parties and a transparent political funding.

According to the law, financing sources of a political party’s activity may include: members’ fees; donations and legacies; revenue from its own activities; subsidies from the State budget.

The enforcement is monitored by the Permanent Electoral Authority, a public autonomous administrative institution, with legal personality.

The Authority submits to Parliament annual activity reports, as well as reports - called White Papers - on the organization and holding of each national and European election or referendum.

All reports are public; their results are published in the Official Gazette and on the Authority’s website.

Dear colleagues,

In terms of international cooperation, we have in place an instrument of relevance for all IPU members - the UN Convention against Corruption - which stipulates that countries must “enhance transparency in the funding of candidatures for elected public office and, where applicable, the funding of political parties”.

According to the information available, many of the 146 States parties to the Convention have not yet put in place formal disclosure requirements for incomes and expenditures of political parties; even many more of them lack effective oversight mechanisms.   

One way to remedy this situation, besides taking the appropriate legislative and administrative measures nationally, is to strengthen the Convention’s review mechanism. Parliaments have an important role in this regard.    

To conclude, I would note that when it comes to political financing, it is first and foremost the responsibility of political parties themselves to see to it that their funding is legal and that information about the money raised and spent is made available.

Measures to implement political funding legislation and oversight mechanisms need to be complemented with standards of party and campaign finance and with an effective monitoring by civil society.

Thank you.